Cinnamon Rolls

This comforting and classic Cinnamon Rolls recipe is perfect for breakfast or a lazy day brunch. Made with a warm and gooey cinnamon filling and a soft and fluffy dough, these rolls are the ultimate comfort food. The full recipe and step-by-step instructions that will have your kitchen smelling like a cinnamon wonderland in no time!

This recipe has been thoroughly tested over several months. The dough is best when allowed to rise in the fridge. This means you can make it a day ahead and prepare the filling in the morning before letting it rise and baking for a true breakfast bread.

To create the perfect dough for these cinnamon rolls, we start with a brioche-style base. This means that our dough incorporates eggs and milk, giving it a rich and indulgent taste. The addition of these ingredients not only enhances the flavor but also adds a delightful tenderness to the rolls, making them incredibly soft and melt-in-your-mouth.

As you prepare the dough, the aroma of freshly baked bread fills the air, creating an inviting atmosphere in your kitchen.  Once the dough has risen to perfection, it's time to dive into the exciting part – the cinnamon filling. Gently spread the luscious cinnamon filling over the rolled-out dough, making sure to reach every corner. The anticipation builds as you carefully roll the dough into a tight spiral, sealing in all that deliciousness. The irresistible aroma of cinnamon wafts through the air, enveloping your senses with its comforting warmth.

 Why you'll love these

Deliciously sweet and indulgent

If you're looking for a truly irresistible treat to satisfy your cravings, then look no further than this mouthwatering Cinnamon Rolls recipe. Whether you enjoy these cinnamon rolls for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, they are a true delight for all occasions. Share these with your loved ones and to experience the sheer indulgence of these homemade treats.

Easy to make

While making homemade cinnamon rolls may seem intimidating, my recipe is simple and straightforward, making it a great option for both novice and experienced bakers alike. With detailed instructions and helpful tips, you'll be able to create beautiful and delicious cinnamon rolls in no time.

Versatile

While my Cinnamon Rolls are delicious on their own, they're also a great base for other flavors and toppings. You can experiment with different fillings, like chocolate or nuts, or top them with a glaze for an extra indulgent treat. Plus, you can freeze the unfrosted rolls for later use, making them a great make-ahead option for busy mornings.

Ingredients and substitutions for the best Cinnamon Rolls

• Yeast: Yeast doesn’t just help give our cinnamon rolls that fluffy bread texture,
• Milk: This helps give our rolls that nice soft crumb and the golden crust. You could substitute with water in equal measure if you prefer.
• Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein amount which helps to produce the gluten content which we need to give our rolls that firm dough which is easier to shape. If you don’t have any on hand, you can replace with all purpose or plain flour in equal measure, however, if you live in the UK…you will notice the difference in texture of your dough - it will feel incredibly soft in your hands and be a little harder to work with.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar helps to sweeten our dough without adding additional flavor, you could substitute in equal measure with light brown sugar, if you prefer. Light brown sugar helps give our filling that incredibly warm center of so it is not recommended to completely replace with a superfine or caster sugar or a darker sugar. Icing or confectioner’s sugar in that frosting will help create a melt-in-your-mouth texture that you know and love.
• Eggs: Adding moisture and binding the dough together, the eggs help with rising as they act as a leavening agent as well as giving our rolls that nice light crumb thanks to the fat from the yolks.
• Butter: We add room temperature butter to our dough once the gluten has begun to form to help create a smooth and luscious dough. You could substitute with non dairy butter in equal measure, however, I have not tried this.
• Cinnamon: The flavor punch for our entire rolls, you’ll want good ground cinnamon for this, and if your ground spices are over 3 years old, you might want to buy some new stuff for this. It’s worth it, trust me!
• Cream cheese: Tangy room temperature cream cheese adds the perfect level of indulgence to round out these Cinnabon style rolls that are hard to put down!

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment needed to make this

Large mixing bowl: You’ll need a large mixing bowl to prepare the dough.

Stand or hand mixer: A stand mixer is best here due to the length of kneading time. Though a hand mixer will do the job if you use the lowest setting and work slowly so as not to overwork it. You can also make the dough by hand.

Offset spatula: One of these will help you spread your filling and frosting nice and evenly. A butter knife also works if you don’t have an offset spatula on hand.

Baking tin: A large baking tin or roasting tray works best to fit your dozen rolls.

Rolling pin: A rolling pin will help you achieve a nice consistent dough, however, you could substitute a wine bottle for similar results.

Bench scraper: This isn’t necessary, however, will make shaping the nice even edges of your dough to give you a perfect rectangle shape.

FAQ’s for the best Cinnamon Rolls

Do my cinnamon roll ingredients need to be room temperature?

Yes, the eggs and butter need to be room temperature so that they incorporate better into your dough to create that smooth texture. The cream cheese and butter will also incorporate best at room temperature ensuring your frosting is nice and smooth.

Can I make the dough by hand?

Yes you can, however, you will have to knead the dough to achieve the same results as a mixer for approximately 20 minutes and is best done without any additional flour on your work surface.

How much do the liquid ingredients weigh in grams?

The weight of milk is 207 grams. The large eggs weigh between 63-67 grams each or 2.22-2.36 ounces and the vanilla extract is 4 grams.

More rolls you'll enjoy

Franzbrötchen - German Cinnamon Rolls

Gemberbolus - Dutch Ginger Rolls

Chelsea Buns

How to make Cinnamon Rolls:

Place the yeast and milk in a bowl and allow to dissolve for 3 minutes.

Once bubbling, add the flour and sugar and beat on low until the mixture resembles a shaggy mixture.

Add one egg in and combine on low until fully combined, repeat with each egg until you have a dough formed.

On a low setting with your mixer, add in 1 cube of butter or 2 (if your cubes are small, no more than 5 grams or ⅓ tablespoon of butter at a time) and incorporate until you cannot see any butter remnants in your dough.

Continue by adding another piece of butter and mixing until it is fully incorporated into your dough.

Beat for a further 5 minutes until the dough it looks slightly glossy and is pulling away at the sides of your bowl.

Lightly butter a bowl and place the dough therein.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours until doubled in size or even overnight.

The next morning, lightly grease your baking tin and set aside.

For the filling, combine the softened butter, sugar and ground cinnamon until your mixture is a rough wet sand texture and set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and upturn onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll your dough out to an equal rectangle and ¼ inch thickness.

Smear the cinnamon butter over your dough, leaving ½ inch edge.

Slowly and carefully roll your dough from the base of your wide rectangle into a tight scroll.

Cut into 12 even pieces and place in your baking tin with 1 ½-2 inches gap between each.

Allow to proof at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375F.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and then increase the temperature to 200C/400F and bake, until golden on top, approximately 7-8 further minutes.

Remove and allow to cool.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth.

Add in 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla extract and combine until smooth and looking slightly glossy.

Add the remaining sugar and combine until the mixture is thick but slowly drizzles from your whisk.

Spoon evenly on top of your rolls and smear over until every one is well coated.

Dig in!

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