Recipe
Soft Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Pillowy rolls with a cream cheese glaze, with an overnight option for Christmas and birthday mornings.
Why I love this one
These are our celebration rolls. Christmas morning, the first day of school, the morning after somebody has had a hard week — the pan comes out and the whole house knows something good is happening.
I shape them the night before and let them rise in the refrigerator, which means the only thing standing between me and a warm breakfast is the twenty-five minutes they need in the oven. It is the least amount of effort I have ever put into something that makes people this happy.
Soft Homemade Cinnamon Rolls — Recipe Card
Prep 30 minutes · Cook 25 minutes · Total About 3 hours (or overnight) · Serves 12 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
Filling
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very soft
- Pinch of salt
Cream cheese glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, as needed
Instructions
- 1.Proof: Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let sit 5–8 minutes, until foamy on top.
- 2.Make the dough: Add the eggs and melted butter, then the flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- 3.Knead: Knead 8 minutes by hand on a floured counter or 5 minutes with a dough hook on medium-low, until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- 4.First rise: Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
- 5.Roll out: Punch down and roll into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- 6.Fill: Spread the soft butter to the edges, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Press the filling gently into the butter.
- 7.Shape: Roll up tightly from the long side. Cut into 12 rolls with unflavored dental floss or a very sharp knife.
- 8.Second rise: Arrange cut-side up in a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover and rise 45 minutes, until puffy and touching. (Overnight option: cover and refrigerate up to 16 hours, then let the pan sit on the counter 45 minutes before baking.)
- 9.Bake: Bake at 350°F for 23–27 minutes, until the tops are light golden and the center roll reaches 190°F.
- 10.Glaze: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and thin with milk to a pourable consistency. Spread over the rolls while still warm, not hot.
Kitchen notes
- Do not skip the room-temperature eggs; cold eggs slow the first rise by nearly half an hour.
- If the tops brown before the center is done, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 8 minutes.
- Leftovers keep 2 days covered at room temperature. Warm 15 seconds in the microwave before serving.