Cinnamon Bread Rolls

Why Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

If you’re new to baking, please don’t fear the yeast. If I can bake with it, you can too. What’s even greater about these rolls is the simple ingredients you can easily find at a grocery store. Aannnd there is little to no kneading involved. How cool is that?

Now, let’s talk about that cream cheese glaze! Cinnamon rolls wouldn’t be complete without it. After all, it’s one of those combos destined by heaven to go together. One caveat: please don’t overglaze the cinnamon rolls because too much of a good thing is still too much.

An Immaculate cinnamon bread roll satisfies your taste buds with the perfect balance of sugar and cinnamon filling, then coated with the right amount of glaze. They shouldn’t be too soggy or too bready.

So, if you’re ready to face your yeasty fear (that does even sound right? 🤣), look on the bright side and imagine yourself heartily enjoying every bite of this classic favorite cinnamon roll.

What You Need

1. Yeast – Whatever you have on hand should work as long as it hasn’t expired. Activate it with a little sugar and water.
2. Wet Ingredients – Whole milk, powdered milk, vanilla extract, butter, and eggs add moisture, decadence, and flavor.
3. Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour and salt are all you need to turn milk, yeast, and eggs into a delicious bread.
4. Filling – Cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter delivers the classic cinnamon sugar filling. I can’t help but add a dash of my favorite spice, nutmeg.
5. Cream Cheese Glaze – Cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and butter create a sweet, creamy glaze.

How to Make Cinnamon Bread Rolls

The Cinnamon Roll Dough

• Activate Yeast – Combine the water and yeast in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved and let it set for 3-5 minutes (it should become foamy as the yeast activates). (Photo 1)
• Heat Liquids – In a microwaveable bowl, add sugar, whole milk, salt, powdered milk, vanilla extract, and butter. Heat in the microwave for a few seconds, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted, but it’s not hot enough to kill the yeast. (Photo 2)
• Add Eggs – If the butter and milk mixture is cool enough, pour it into the yeast mixture, add eggs, and stir well. (Photo 3)
• Flour – Gently add the flour a cup at a time. Mix well with hands or a stand mixer. The dough should be sticky, but add more flour a little at a time if it’s too sticky. Less flour is preferable. (Photo 4)
• Knead the dough for a minute or two. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1½-2 hours or until doubled. (Photos 5-6)
• Cinnamon Sugar – Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside until ready to use.
• Punch the dough down. Lightly flour a board or work surface, then roll the cinnamon roll dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle.
• Assemble – Generously brush with melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the dough, evenly sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. Pat the cinnamon sugar gently so it sticks to the surface.
• Roll – Starting with the end nearest you, roll the dough up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Don’t forget to pinch it so it seals together and doesn’t come apart when transferring it to a baking sheet.
• Slice the roll into 4 equal pieces, then slice each piece into 3 equal pieces for a total of 12 rolls.
• Bake – Oil the bottom of the baking pan with butter or use a cooking spray. Place the cinnamon roll slices close together on the baking sheet and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 25-30 minutes or until golden browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Cream Cheese Glaze

• Whip the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2-3 tablespoons of milk until very creamy. Add more milk if needed to get the desired drizzling consistency.
• Serve – Drizzle over the cinnamon bun, and serve warm.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Cinnamon rolls are best the same day you make them, but they’re almost as good 2-3 days later. Store them in a covered container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Glaze the rolls before serving them.

If you want to freeze them but still have that fresh-from-the-oven taste and aroma, bake them in less time. They’ll be cooked through but not browned. Let them cool and wrap them in plastic, and they’ll last 2-3 months in the freezer.

Thaw them in the fridge the night before you want to bake them (still wrapped). Then, finish baking the next morning. Drizzle them with glaze and enjoy.

You can also make the dough ahead. Let it rest after the first kneading, and then cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Bring it to room temperature, knead it again, and proceed with the recipe.

What Goes Great With Cinnamon Rolls

A cup of coffee, of course. If it’s hot out, enjoy it with a blended Thai iced coffee. I personally love it with a pumpkin spice latte for holiday spice overload. Coffee-free drinks are chai tea latte, ginger tea, or lemongrass tea.

More Deliciously Sweet Bread Recipes to Try

1. Apple Bread
2. Banana Nut Bread
3. Coconut Bread
4. Challah
5. Brioche

Watch How to Make It

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