Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are the Ultimate Breakfast

Photo by Mark Olsen on Unsplash

If you’ve ever been in close proximity to a Cinnabon store, you know how glorious that sweet, cinnamony scent can be. So why not fill your home with it? Packed with butter, sugar, and cream cheese frosting, you’ll be drooling before you even take these cinnamon rolls out of the oven. 

Ingredients:

Rolls

  • ¼ ounce active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling 

  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup butter, melted

Frosting

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. In separate bowl, combine the sugar, butter, eggs, salt, yeast mixture, and 2 cups of flour. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until smooth. Then, stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough. 
  2. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for an hour until it has doubled in size. 
  3. After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion into an 11×8-inch rectangle.
  4. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush the rolled dough with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture to within half an inch of the edges.
  5. Roll up the dough like a Swiss roll, beginning with a long side, and pinch the seam to seal it. Cut the roll into 8 slices and place them in a greased pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Let the rolls rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until they have doubled.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown, then transfer them to wire racks to cool. 
  7. To make the frosting, beat the butter; cream cheese; vanilla; and salt until blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Spread the frosting over the top of the rolls and refrigerate any leftovers.