The Best Cinnamon Rolls
- Caitlin Burch
- Sep 7
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 7
I'm sharing my absolute favorite recipe for cinnamon rolls. A dreamy breakfast dish that's perfect for entertaining and is delicious anytime of the year. I loathe recipe pages that are long and difficult to follow. If you're baking with love and ambition, your hands are probably going to be full of butter, sugar, and flour. I've done my best to keep instructions simple. The recipe calls for patience, and quite a bit of cleanup, but I promise you that the rolls are worth it! I encourage you to bake with quality ingredients, because it really does make a difference in taste, and what we put in our bodies shouldn't be highly processed or full of chemicals. From my kitchen to yours, enjoy every bite.
⎋ TIME ESTIMATE | YIELD
Roughly 4 hours with prep and baking | Makes 12-14 large cinnamon rolls
KITCHEN ITEMS
❐ 9 x 13 Baking Dish
❐ Clean Counter Space
❐ Small Mixing Bowl (to whisk eggs)
❐ Small Mixing Bowl (to activate yeast)
❐ Medium Mixing Bowls x 3 (to make sauce, filling and frosting)
❐ Large Mixing Bowls x 2 (to make dough)
❐ Stand Alone Mixer (optional)
❐ Dough Blade (optional)
❐ Large Whisk (mixer attachment or hand)
❐ Food Thermometer
❐ Liquid Measuring Cup
❐ Dry Measuring Cups
❐ Measuring Spoons
❐ Rolling Pin
❐ Spatula
❐ Wooden Spoon
❐ Oven (don't preheat the oven until your dough is made)
SHOPPING LIST
❐ Whole Milk (1/2 gallon)
❐ Heavy Cream (1 pint)
❐ Cream Cheese (8 oz)
❐ Eggs (2)
❐ Unsalted Butter (4 sticks, very softened)
❐ Active Dry Yeast (typically 1 packet = 2 1/4 tsp)
❐ Granulated White Sugar
❐ Light Brown Sugar
❐ Powdered Sugar
❐ All Purpose Flour
❐ Salt
❐ Cinnamon
❐ Vanilla
❐ Honey (buy local if you can)
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH
1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed to about 110 degrees
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp granulated white sugar (to activate the yeast)
2 tbsp granulated white sugar (added separately with flour and salt)
4 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs whisked
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted butter, very softened
CINNAMON CARAMEL SAUCE
1/2 cup unsalted butter, very softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
CINNAMON SUGAR FILLING
1/2 cup unsalted butter, very softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream (room temperature)
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
6 tbsp unsalted butter, very softened
8 oz cream cheese, cold
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
❐ STEP 1: MAKE THE DOUGH
Warm the whole milk (1 1/4 cups) to 110 degrees (you can use the stove top or a microwave, gauge the temperature with a food thermometer).
Transfer the warmed milk to a small mixing bowl, mix in the active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp) + granulated white sugar (1 tsp - this activates the yeast).
Stir the yeast mixture until a light foam forms on top, and then let sit for 10 minutes.
Grab another small mixing bowl and lightly whisk eggs (2).
Separately, in stand alone mixer + whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl + a wooden spoon), mix together the all purpose flour (4 3/4 cups, spooned and leveled), salt (1 1/2 tsp), and granulated white sugar (2 tbsp).
To the dry ingredients, add the whisked eggs (2), vanilla (1 tbsp), and the room temperature unsalted butter (1/2 cup).
Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until all ingredients are combined. If you're using a stand alone mixer, change from the whisk to a dough blade. Mix in stand alone mixer until a soft dough ball forms. If you're mixing by hand in a large mixing bowl, I suggest mixing with your hands instead of a whisk at this point. Knead lightly until a small dough ball can be formed.
Form the dough into a ball. Lightly grease a second large mixing bowl with a little butter (just enough to coat the bowl and prevent the dough from sticking to it while rising). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm environment to rise.
A great place to let the dough rise is in a NON-PREHEATED OVEN. An off oven with the oven light does the trick, or a sunny countertop.
Let the dough rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, it should double in size.
❐ STEP 2: MAKE THE CINNAMON CARAMEL SAUCE
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together room temperature unsalted butter (1/2 cup), light brown sugar, packed (1 cup), cinnamon (2 tsp), honey (1/3 cup), vanilla (1 tbsp), heavy cream (3 tbsp), and salt (1/4 tsp).
Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with a little butter, using just enough to lightly coat the bottom and sides.
Spread the cinnamon caramel mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan, and set aside.
❐ STEP 3: MAKE THE CINNAMON SUGAR FILLING
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together room temperature unsalted butter (1/2 cup), light brown sugar, packed (1 cup), cinnamon (2 tsp), and salt (1/4 tsp).
❐ STEP 4: ASSEMBLE AND SECOND RISE
After the dough has risen, prepare a clean counter top and lightly dust it with flour. Transfer the risen dough to counter and punch the dough to release extra air.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that measures about 18 x 14 inches, and 1/4 inch thick.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling over the entire dough rectangle, using the back of a spoon or small spatula to spread evenly.
Roll the dough into a log, starting with the edge closest to you, rolling away.
Cut log into 12 to 14 rolls with a very sharp knife.
Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish, and pour room temperature heavy cream (1/4 cup) in between each roll.
Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 1 hour, allowing the rolls to expand during a second rise.
❐ STEP 5: BAKE
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 30 minutes until the rolls are a golden brown.
Tip: Position the rolls on a middle oven rack, and cover the baking pan with aluminium foil for the last 5 minutes if the tops of the rolls are turning brown too quickly.
❐ STEP 6: MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Make the cream cheese frosting while the rolls bake.
In a stand alone mixer, or a medium mixing bowl, mix together softened unsalted butter (6 tbsp) and cold cream cheese (8 oz).
Sift in the powdered sugar (1 cup) a little at a time into the butter and cream cheese mixture, and then add the vanilla (1 tbsp).
Mix on medium speed with a mixer, or stir by hand until the frosting is smooth.
❐ STEP 7: FROST AND SERVE
Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
Use a spatula to smooth the cream cheese frosting over the rolls.
The cinnamon caramel sauce on the bottom of the rolls makes them extra gooey!
