These tasty homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing are the best ever! They bake up gooey and flakey. Did I mention they are topped with a delicious cream cheese icing that is simple to make?
These homemade yeast rolls can be made one day and then baked fresh the next morning. Homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing have been a favorite in our home for years now. Maybe it's because I don't make them that often so they are extra special when I do make them. Or the fact that they are super delicious.
Even though I have been making them for a while I really wanted to get this delicious recipe just right before sharing them. That's where the cream cheese icing comes into play.
I have made these tasty pastry treats with a powdered sugar glaze and they taste great. But the cream cheese frosting~ umm icing ~ is what makes these amazing. Not only are these amazing rolls a favorite recipe of ours but so is our pumpkin butter cinnamon rolls.
The Best Cinnamon Rolls
Let's roll out that rolling pin and get ready to make these tasty homemade yeast rolls. Quick and simple recipes are my jam but sometimes we need to share some classic recipes like cinnamon rolls.
They do take a bit longer to make but I promise they are easy to make. As well as worth every calorie, these are so tasty.
I'm all about sifting my flour when it comes to baking, there are so many reasons why. In our baker's dozen article I talk about why I sift my flour.
This recipe calls for a lot of all-purpose flour and is best to sift it all at once. But then dived it in half, the first half to get started with. Into a small bowl, I add in half of the flour and the yeast then whisked them together.
Make sure that your active dry yeast isn't old. This along with other factors could cause the dough to not rise properly. With half of the flour and yeast whisked together, it's time for the butter and milk. In a medium-sized saucepan bring the milk and butter to a temperature of between 120-130℉.
I find that cubing the chilled butter helps to melt the butter without going over the desired temperature. I did use unsalted butter and 2% milk, you can use whole milk and salted butter if you like. A cooking thermometer will help with getting the perfect temperature.
Mixing It Up
Once the milk mixture reaches the desired temperature pour it into a large bowl or your stand mixer bowl. I did use my stand mixer with dough hook attachment for this recipe, it has more power than my hand mixer. However, a hand mixer will work, I do recommend using an electric mixer.
Into the mixing bowl that has the warm milk mixture in it. Slowly add in the four cups of flour that is mixed with the yeast. Doing this with the stand mixer on low speed until all the dry ingredients are mixed in.
The next step is adding in the eggs, I only add one of the eggs at a time into the flour mixture. Make sure that each egg is mixed in before adding the next.
It's time for the remaining half of the flour. Trust me on this one you will want to only add 1 cup of flour in at a time. Make sure that each cup is mixed well before adding the next cup of flour. Also scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
You won't be able to get all the flour added while the dough is in the mixer. So I will pour the remaining flour onto a clean work surface and dump the dough out onto that. Kneading in as much of the remaining flour as possible into the dough. You don't want to over-knead the dough though, you want the dough to spring back when pressed on.
Once most of the flour is added place the dough into a bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Then spray the dough with cooking spray and cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Place in a warm place for the 1st rise for an hour or until the dough is doubled in size. I like to heat my oven up for a bit then place the bowl on the stovetop covered.
Rolling Cinnamon Rolls
After the hour of rising time is up turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch the dough down, cover it with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes. This is the second rise for the dough. When the ten minutes are up it's time to start rolling. Roll the dough out into a long rectangular shape. I think my dough was about ¼ of an inch thick.
Next up is the cinnamon roll filling. I have found that room temperature butter creates less of a mess than melted butter. Using an offset spatula to spread the softened butter evenly over the dough works best.
Two cups of firmly packed brown sugar, adds the right amount of sweetness to these perfect cinnamon rolls. I'll crumble brown sugar over every inch of the dough. As I'm crumbling I can remove those firm bits of brown sugar. I like to press the brown sugar down with my hand into the softened butter. The butter helps to hold the sugar in place for the rolling time.
Sprinkle the top of the brown sugar with cinnamon. It's rolling time!! Starting at a long end of the rectangle start to roll the dough up towards the rest of the dough. I try and roll the dough up as firmly as I can.
So as I roll I'll pull the dough a bit causing it to stretch some. I had a couple of rolls pop up on me when they baked and that was because they were not tight enough.
Using a very sharp knife or a bread knife will help cut the rolled-up dough easily. I use a two-inch bread knife when cutting so I can use the side of the knife blade to measure how big to cut each roll. By cutting 2-inch slices I can get 24 cinnamon rolls out of this dough.
Rise and Bake
Once you have the cinnamon rolls cut into 2-inch slices. Place them 2-inches apart into a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Since you will get 24 rolls from this recipe you will need to use a bigger baking dish or two smaller ones. I used a 9x13 and a pie dish.
You guessed it the rolls will need to rise one more time before baking. Place the baking dish or dishes filled with the rolls in a warm place and cover them with a towel. Let the homemade yeast rolls rise for a final time for 30 minutes more. As the dough rise it will move together that's why it's important not to crowd them all in a baking dish.
After the rolls are done rising for the final time place them into a preheated 375℉ oven for 25-30 minutes or until the center of the rolls is done and the tops of the rolls are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.
Now it's time to top the best cinnamon rolls with a homemade cream cheese frosting. Enjoy breakfast with a warm cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee.
Because these easy cinnamon rolls have homemade cream cheese frosting on them they do need to be refrigerated. Place into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. These homemade yeast rolls can be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator then baked up the morning of. They are the perfect start to Christmas morning or can be enjoyed for any special occasion.
They also freeze well, I have some of these baked goodies in my freezer now. I wrapped individual rolls up in foil and then place them into a ziplock freezer bag.
We can take one out the night before and place it into the fridge then heat it up in the microwave the next morning.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Here are some more cinnamon roll recipes you may enjoy
Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing
These cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing bake up flakey and gooey. Make a batch of the best cinnamon rolls for a special occasion like Christmas morning.
Ingredients
- 8 Cups All-Purpose Flour divided in half
- 4½ Teaspoons Yeast equals 2 packets
- 2 Cups Milk
- ⅔ Cups Sugar
- 7 Tablespoons Butter~ Unsalted cut into cubes
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Large Eggs
Filling For Cinnamon Rolls
- ½ Cup Butter room temperature
- 2 Cup Brown Sugar packed
- 4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 8 Ounce Cream Cheese softened
- ½ Cup Butter room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2-2½ Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Rolls
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In a large mixing bowl add 4 cups of the flour and the yeast. Whisk these two ingredients together and set them aside.
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In the saucepan stir together the milk, sugar, butter, and salt. Bring to a warm on the stove until the temperature reaches 120-130℉
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Add the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and slowly add the 4 cups of flour and yeast mixture until all is combined.
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Add one egg at a time into the mixture until all eggs are added and combined.
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Slowly start to add the remaining 4 cups of flour into the batter. Adding as much of the flour as you can.
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Pour the remaining flour onto a clean work surface. Turn dough out and knead in the remaining flour. The dough should spring back when you press on it.
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Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and add the dough into the bowl. Spray the dough with cooking spray and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
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Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and punch the dough down. Let dough rest covered for 10 minutes.
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Roll dough out in a rectangle shape and cover with room temperature butter.
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Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the butter. Then sprinkle the cinnamon on top of the brown sugar.
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Start at the longer end of the rectangle and roll the dough up to form a log. Pinch the seam of the dough into the log to help seal the rolled up log together.
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With a bread knife cut the cinnamon log into 2-inch slices.
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Place the sliced cinnamon rolls into a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
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Bake in a preheat 375℉ oven for 20-30 minutes or until the center of rolls are cooked all the way.
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Let the cinnamon rolls cool slightly. I let them sit for about 10 minutes.
Cream Cheese Icing
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In a medium bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese and butter until well combined. Mix in the vanilla extract.
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Add one cup of powdered sugar into the cream mixture at a time, mix until combined, and reach your desired consistency.
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Once cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly spread the cream cheese icing on top of the rolls. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Using fresh yeast will help to ensure the cinnamon rolls will rise.
I used a 9x13 baking dish as well as a pie plate to hold all the cinnamon rolls
Store the uneaten cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
The nutritional value may vary depending on the ingredients used.
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Pat
When do you add the 2/3 cup suggar?
Jennifer
Thank you for the question the 2/3 cup of sugar gets added with the milk to the saucepan in step two.
Brenna
Could these be made with 1 to 1 gluten free flour?
Jennifer
As of today, I have yet to try these with gluten-free flour.