Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls
For the longest time, I swore I would never make homemade cinnamon rolls again. Looking back, it was definitely culinary school that pushed me into that decision.
Culinary school is great for so many reasons, technique and kitchen skills being the largest of them. Recipes… Not so much all the time. There were so many things that we baked that were absolutely amazing. Fresh breads and homemade pastas. Sauces using the best ingredients, and pastries that would come out perfectly flakey. But, there were also some misses that just came down to a sub-par recipe for the sake of technical training. Cinnamon rolls happened to be one of those recipes, and I never really recovered.
They just came out dry with not enough icing to rectify the situation, and not enough flavor in the icing to cover the blandness of the roll. Everything about them was stale and plain. That was about all I could say about them. (But I did learn how to shape, cut, and bake them perfectly). I think it was then that I decided cinnamon rolls were something best left to Pillsbury.
Fast forward to a few years later, and I started seeing all of these videos pop up of people making homemade cinnamon rolls in their kitchens that looked INSANELY AMAZING. Piles of icing. Fluffy rolls. Tons of filling. All of the things you crave when you think of a perfect, classic cinnamon roll. And I started thinking “Okay, I definitely missed the boat here.”
So, I set out to create the best cinnamon rolls I could! I think these hit the mark pretty well. More icing than any one person should eat in one sitting. Perfectly fluffy and moist. A tender crumb, and lots of cinnamon filling. And now, I am happy to announce, that homemade cinnamon rolls have forever been redeemed in my eyes. They are far superior. I would like to sincerely apologize for ever thinking otherwise.
With that said, please bake these and enjoy their lazy morning vibes and cream-cheesy perfection.
With love,
Your Baker, Hannah
Convinced it’s time for some cinnamon rolls? Here’s a grocery list of everything you’re gonna need!
Ingredients for Cinnamon Rolls:
Whole milk
Active dry yeast
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Unsalted butter
All-purpose flour
Salt
Brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Vanilla bean paste
Optional: Half-and-half or milk for the frosting
(To make it even easier, you can hit the “Get Ingredients” button inside the recipe, and these items will be added straight to your shopping cart at the grocery store of your choice.)
Ingredient Substitutions
Milk: If you’re out of whole milk, any milk you have on hand will work—just remember the higher the fat content, the richer your rolls will be.
Butter: Unsalted butter is ideal, but if you only have salted butter, you can still use it. Just reduce the salt in the dough by half.
Vanilla Bean Paste: If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, regular vanilla extract works perfectly fine.
Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will do the job here, though dark brown sugar gives a deeper, richer flavor.
What Tools Do You Need for Baking Cinnamon Rolls?…
A Step-By-Step Summary for Baking Cinnamon Rolls:
The process begins with making the dough, which is surprisingly straightforward. You start by warming the milk—just enough to activate the yeast without killing it (around 100-110°F). After the yeast has bloomed, you’ll mix it with the sugar, eggs, melted butter, flour, and salt to form the dough. Kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic is key here, as it ensures the rolls will be soft and fluffy once baked.
Once your dough is kneaded, let it rest in a warm spot to rise until it doubles in size. After about an hour, you’ll roll it out into a large rectangle, spread softened butter over the surface, and then generously sprinkle it with a cinnamon-brown sugar mixture. This step is where all the gooey sweetness happens—so don’t skimp on the filling!
The next step is rolling up the dough as tightly as possible to create those signature swirls, then slicing the log into 10 even pieces. After a second rise in the pan, the cinnamon rolls are ready to bake. A quick 20-25 minutes in the oven, and they’ll be golden brown and perfectly fluffy. And here’s the secret to extra-moist cinnamon rolls: pour melted butter and half-and-half around the edges of the rolls before baking. It gives them that irresistible richness!
Finally, while the rolls are baking, you can whip up the cream cheese frosting. Once they’re out of the oven, slather the frosting on while the rolls are still warm, letting it melt into every nook and cranny for that perfect gooey bite.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls to Bake Later :
Want to enjoy cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven without all the prep work? You can freeze them for later! Here’s how:
Before the second rise: Once you’ve sliced your cinnamon rolls and placed them in the baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and freeze.
When ready to bake: Let the frozen rolls thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Allow them to rise at room temperature in the morning for 45-60 minutes before baking as usual. Fresh cinnamon rolls with no early-morning prep!
How to Keep Your Cinnamon Rolls Moist:
The key to perfectly moist cinnamon rolls lies in a few simple tips and tricks. You want to avoid dry, crumbly rolls at all costs, and here’s how you can make sure your cinnamon rolls stay soft and tender:
Don’t Over-Bake: One of the main reasons cinnamon rolls dry out is from over-baking. Keep a close eye on them in the oven and bake just until they’re golden brown on top, which usually takes 20-25 minutes. They should still be soft to the touch when you pull them out, not hard or crispy.
Butter and Half-and-Half Secret: Right before baking, pour a mixture of melted butter and half-and-half (or milk) around the rolls. This adds moisture as the rolls bake, making them irresistibly soft and rich. The liquid steams into the dough and prevents it from drying out.
Cover Them While Cooling: As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, cover them loosely with aluminum foil. This traps in the steam, helping to keep the rolls moist until they’re ready to frost and serve.
Generous Frosting: Don’t be shy with the cream cheese frosting! Frosting the cinnamon rolls while they’re still warm allows it to melt into the cracks and crannies of the rolls, adding extra moisture and that gooey texture everyone loves.
Store Properly: If you have leftovers (though that’s rare!), store the cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. For extra moisture, you can wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap before storing. This keeps them soft and prevents them from drying out.
Reheat with Care: When reheating, add a small amount of butter to steam them back to life. You can microwave them for 20-30 seconds, or wrap them in foil and heat in a low oven to regain that fresh-out-of-the-oven moisture.
By following these steps, your cinnamon rolls will stay soft, gooey, and delicious long after they’ve left the oven!
Sunday Morning Cinnamon Roll Recipe:
Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat your milk in the microwave or on the stove until it is warm to the touch (around 100-110 degrees F), but not hot. Pour into the bowl of your stand mixer and add sugar and yeast. Stir and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until yeast has gotten foamy.
- Add egg, butter, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture, and turn your mixer on low until the dough has come together in a shaggy ball.
- Turn your mixer up to medium speed and continue to knead the dough for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough is in a smooth ball and is only slightly sticky (you do not want it heavily sticking to your hands or the mixing bowl).
- Transfer the dough ball to an oiled bowl, and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap, or a damp cloth. Let the dough rise for 1-1 ½ hours at room temperature until doubled in size.
- Once it has doubled, remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, and using your fist, lightly punch down the dough to remove the excess air. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10inch x 24inch rectangle, and spread the butter with a butterknife or an offset spatula, leaving about a 1 inch border around the edge of the dough. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl, and sprinkle over the top of the butter and dough. Pat down gently.
- Starting on the 24 inch side, roll up dough tightly. Place the roll seam-side-down onto the table, and cut it into 10 (roughly) 2 1/2 inch sections with either a sharp kitchen knife, or a piece of unflavored dental floss. Place rolls in a greased baking dish, and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- After they have risen, preheat your oven to 350°F and pour 2 Tablespoons of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of half-and-half around the rolls (into the bottom of the baking dish. This is what makes these rolls so moist and delicious.) Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- For the frosting, using an electric hand mixer, mix the room temperature cream cheese and butter until fluffy and soft. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix well.
- Lastly, add the milk and vanilla bean paste. Mix on high until fluffy and smooth. Grab your fresh baked cinnamon rolls.
- Smother your warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting, and watch it ooze down the sides. Serve warm, and enjoy!
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