Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

The ultimate soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls! Gooey, soft, tender and absolutely perfect.

If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be a big, fat, fresh out of the oven, warm cinnamon roll. There is just nothing in the world like it! I have another recipe on my site for cinnamon rolls, but I basically took that recipe and re-vamped it to make the absolute ultimate pan of giant delicious cinnamon rolls ever. Don't let the task of cinnamon roll making freak you out because it really is so easy. You just need a lot of patience! The end result is so, so, soooo worth it. Just trust me on this. What you get is the softest and gooiest cinnamon rolls ever doused in a creamy sweet cream cheese frosting.

These soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls come out so tender and doughy, they're just perfect. Think: Cinnabon. My taste testers went nuts over these and may or may not have said that these put Cinnabon to shame! True story. Cream cheese frosting is my favorite kind of frosting so you know I made sure there's more than enough to go around in this recipe!

Ingredients needed to make homemade cinnamon rolls

• Active dry yeast: It helps the dough to rise and makes the cinnamon rolls puff up as they bake.
• Milk: You want the milk to be lukewarm (not hot). I recommend 2% or whole milk.
• Granulated sugar: This is used to sweeten up the cinnamon rolls and it also helps to activate the yeast.
• Salt: A small amount of salt is added for flavor.
• Unsalted butter: You will need butter for the dough, filling and frosting recipes. I like to use unsalted in most of my baking recipes so I can control the amount of sodium.
• Eggs: I use two eggs and 1 yolk in my recipe. The extra egg yolk ensures a nice rich dough.
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
• Brown sugar: I like to use light brown sugar in my recipe but you may use dark. Make sure whichever you use, that it is packed well.
• Cinnamon: Flavor!!
• Corn starch:
• Cream cheese: I recommend using full fat cream cheese fo a richer taste.
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

• Chocolate cinnamon rolls: Sprinkle the dough with 1 cup chocolate chips before rolling.
• Change up your cream cheese frosting by adding lemon or orange juice and zest for a citrus-y twist.
• Maple pecan cinnamon rolls: Add chopped and toasted pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup on top of the filling before rolling up the dough. Add some maple syrup to your cream cheese frosting.

Baking with Yeast Beginner Tips

1. Check the expiration date. Make sure your yeast is fresh! There is nothing worse than going through the process of making homemade cinnamon rolls and the rolls don't puff up after that first rise. You will need to re-start if this happens with fresh yeast. 🙁
2. Be sure your milk is the correct temperature. When activating the yeast, use warm milk that is about 110-115°F. Liquid that is too hot can kill the yeast, and liquid that is too cold won't activate it.
3. Proof the yeast. Proofing is the process of activating the yeast before using it in the recipe. To proof the yeast, as directed in the recipe, you'll mix it with the warm milk and a small amount of sugar and let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes frothy. This is how you will know if your yeast is alive and ready to use!

How to Make the best Cinnamon Rolls

• Proof the Yeast. To activate yeast, you need to dissolve it in the warm milk and 1 tbs of measured out sugar from the amount needed in the recipe. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or until foamy on top.
• Make and knead the dough. Stir in remaining sugar, salt, melted butter and beaten eggs until combined. Add 3 cups of flour first and then gradually add the rest, kneading until you have a workable dough. The dough WILL still be sticky so do not over-flour your dough! It should be sticky but not sticky enough where it sticks to your hands.
• First Rise. Shape dough into a large ball and place into a greased bowl. Set it in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour. Pro tip: Turn oven to 170 degrees and then turn it off, it creates the perfect warm environment!
• Roll out dough and prepare filling. Flip the bowl over and dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it down lightly to release the air inside and roll it with a rolling pin into a very large rectangle, about 12 x 24. Smear the butter on into an even layer and sprinkle the filling on top. Pat it down lightly to pack it down.
• Shape rolls. Roll the dough up very tightly into a long log. Cut into 12 or 16 cinnamon rolls. 12 for a large 9x13 pan or 16 for two round 8" baking pans (8 rolls in each). Grease your pan of choice extremely well.
• At this point, if you are preparing these for the next day, wrap them TIGHTLY with saran wrap (you do not want any air to get in and dry out the dough) and refrigerate until you are ready. Remove from the refrigerator and set back into warm environment for the second rise.

• Second rise. Allow them to rise in a warm place one more time until puffy, about thirty minutes.
• Time to bake. Once risen, bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
• Cream Cheese Frosting. Prepare frosting and spread onto the warm rolls.

Recipe tips for the best cinnamon rolls

Don't over-bake your rolls! One of the most important tips in cinnamon roll making is do not over-bake!! You want your rolls to be soft, fluffy and gooey in the center.

Mixing the dough. I use a stand mixer to mix the dough. You can use a bread machine if you have one set to the dough setting to make this even easier. If you're using your hands - get those muscles ready! - then just be sure not to add too much flour to your dough as you want it to be a little tacky. That is what makes the cinnamon rolls soft and fluffy. If too much flour is added, they will be dense, tough and dry.

Don’t overheat your milk. You want it to be between 105-115 degrees F. If your mil is any hotter, there is a chance you will kill the yeast. Which means the cinnamon rolls will not rise and all of your hard work will go to waste. That would be a BUMMER for sure.

Dough consistency. The consistency is NOT like that of pizza dough. It should be slightly sticky but it shouldn't be overly sticky that you can't handle it without it sticking crazily to your fingers. If that makes sense.

I like to set my oven to the lowest setting (170 degrees F) and place it in there until risen for my 'warm place' to rise.

If you would like to have those big, fat and round cinnabon-like cinnamon rolls, then you will need to cut 12 cinnamon rolls and space them out onto a 9x13 pan.

Go ahead and slather on some cream cheese frosting and dig into the most gloriously gooey and delicious cinnamon roll ever.

Storage

Store cinnamon rolls at room temperature or in the refrigerator (personal preference) in an airtight container.

To reheat: Microwave for 30 seconds or in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 10 minutes to get your cinnamon rolls wam and gooey again.

Freezing

To Freeze: Freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls right before they have their second rise. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Take rolls out and place in a warm environment to rise one more time. Bake as directed in the recipe.

Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

The ultimate soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls! Gooey, soft, tender and absolutely perfect.

4.80 from 5 votes

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Rising time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 25 mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Servings 16 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Dough

• 1 standard packet active dry yeast 2 ¼ tsp
• 1 cup warm milk
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
• 4 ½ - 4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Filling

• ½ cup unsalted butter very soft
• 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 ½ tbs cinnamon
• 1 tbs corn starch

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt optional

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, Add yeast, warm milk and 1 tbs of measured out sugar. Stir together lightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes or until foamy on top. Stir in remaining sugar, salt, melted butter and beaten eggs until combined.
• Add 3 cups of flour first and then add one tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough. The dough WILL still be sticky so do not over-flour your dough! It should be sticky but not sticky enough where it sticks to your hands. Also note that your dough may not completely stop sticking from the bottom of the bowl so don't base your flour additions on that.
• Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and set into a warm place to rise until doubled, about one hour. I like to turn my oven onto 170 degrees and then turn it off, it creates the perfect warm environment.
• In the last minutes of the dough rising, gather your ingredients for the filling. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and corn starch until thoroughly incorporated. Take the risen dough and don't punch it down just yet. Flip the bowl over and dump it out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Pat it down lightly to release the air inside and roll it with a rolling pin into a very large rectangle, about 12 x 24. Smear the butter on into an even layer and sprinkle the filling on top. Pat it down lightly to pack it down.
• Roll the dough up very tightly into a long log. Cut the log into 12 or 16 cinnamon rolls. 12 for a large 9x13 pan or 16 for two round 8" baking pans (8 rolls in each). Grease your pan of choice extremely well and place cut cinnamon rolls into prepared pan.
• At this point, if you are preparing these for the next day, wrap them TIGHTLY with saran wrap (you do not want any air to get in and dry out the dough) and refrigerate until you are ready. Remove from the refrigerator and set back into warm environment for the second rise.
• Allow them to rise in a warm place one more time until puffy, about thirty minutes.
• Once rolls have done their second rise. preheat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange the rack into the center of the oven. Bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth with no lumps. Add in confectioner's sugar, vanilla and optional pinch of salt and mix until smooth an creamy. Spread the frosting onto the warm rolls.

Notes

Storage Instructions: These Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls will stay fresh for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I always store mine at room temperature and have never had an issue. If you are concerned about the cream cheese, store in the refrigerator.

Freezing Instructions: Freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls right before they have their second rise. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Take rolls out and place in a warm environment to rise one more time. Bake as directed in the recipe.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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