Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
In short: Soft, fluffy yeast rolls swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon and covered in tangy cream cheese icing. A same-day recipe for 12 big rolls. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 445 kcal
Cinnamon rolls are the bake people save for slow weekend mornings, and a good dough is what makes them worth the wait. This one is enriched with milk, butter and eggs, kneaded until smooth and left to rise twice, which gives rolls that pull apart in soft, feathery layers. Brown sugar and plenty of cinnamon swirl through each one, and cream cheese icing melts into the warm spirals.
Instructions
- Whisk the warm milk, melted butter, eggs and granulated sugar together in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and leave for 5 minutes, until it looks foamy.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix with the dough hook on medium-low for 8 minutes, or knead by hand on a floured surface for 10 to 12 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a greased bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot for 60 to 75 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Grease a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inches), with a long side facing you.
- Spread the very soft butter over the dough, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 inch) border along the far edge. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and scatter it evenly over the butter.
- Roll the dough up tightly from the long edge nearest you and pinch the seam shut. Cut the log into 12 equal rolls, each about 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) wide, with a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss.
- Set the rolls cut side up in the dish, cover loosely and leave for 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy and touching. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) during the last 15 minutes.
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until golden and the center roll reads 88°C (190°F) on an instant-read thermometer. Cool in the dish for 10 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar, vanilla and milk until fluffy, then spread over the warm, not hot, rolls.
Tips
- Judge the dough by touch. It should feel soft and slightly tacky, and you should add flour only a tablespoon at a time if it sticks to your hands. Too much flour makes dry rolls.
- Slide a length of dental floss under the log, cross it over the top and pull. A knife squashes the spirals, while floss cuts clean. Take the rolls out at 88°C (190°F) so they stay soft.
Questions and answers
Why are my cinnamon rolls dry?
The usual causes are too much flour, overbaking or too short a rise. Keep the dough soft and tacky, let the rolls puff before baking and take them out when the center roll reaches 88°C (190°F).
Can I use active dry yeast?
Yes. Use the same amount, but dissolve it in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar for 10 minutes first. Expect the first rise to take 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?
Yes. Freeze baked, un-iced rolls wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm them for 10 minutes at 160°C (325°F) and ice them just before serving.
How long does it take to make Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing?
About 445 kcal per serving, with 7 g of protein, 65 g of carbohydrates and 17 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 445 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 32 g |
| Sodium | 250 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
