Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe for the BEST cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting has no comparison! The cinnamon filling is rich and gooey and the cream cheese icing is the perfect sweet compliment to this breakfast sweet roll. They are even better than Cinnabon!
Gooey cinnamon rolls are a weakness of mine. Every Christmas morning I make a delicious sweet for the kids (and myself), and this recipe for cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting did not disappoint!
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How to make the BEST cinnamon rolls
I have tried many different cinnamon roll recipes in my life. Some of these recipes have absolutely flopped, while others were great. Having said this, one of the best recipes out there is the Pioneer Woman’s Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, however it makes a TON and it takes a really long time.
What I like about this recipe is I have found it to be great for these reasons…
- It’s foolproof (no flat, dense cinnamon rolls)
- It makes just the right amount
- It has the best frosting!
If you don’t have the time, I highly recommend checking out my recipe for >> Cinnamon Streusel Bread!
What makes cinnamon rolls extra good?
I am telling you right now, the KEY to THE BEST cinnamon rolls is using great quality cinnamon. If you don’t use a good quality cinnamon, you won’t get good quality results! I HIGHLY recommend using pure Vietnamese Saigon cinnamon from The Spice House.
Do yourself a favor and get some. You will be absolutely astounded at the difference, even from the first time you smell it! Check out the link here
How to make cinnamon roll dough
Scald the milk by heating it in the pan until it begins to bubble on the sides. DO NOT BOIL! This is an important step to this recipes to ensure that the yeast gets activated so that it rises.
Pour the milk into your mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup of butter. Let the butter melt in it and bring the temperature of the milk down some before adding the yeast.
After the butter is melted, add the sugar. If the temperature is warm, but not too hot, add the yeast. If the temperature seems to hot for your fingers, add about 1/4 cup of the flour to cool it down before adding the yeast.
It’s important that the liquid is warm but not too hot (just above room temperature is ideal), or else it will kill the yeast.
Let the yeast get bubbly for about 10 minutes.
With a KitchenAid stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment, begin mixing on low. Add the eggs, salt and remaining flour and allow to the mixer to combine the dough together.
Let it knead the dough on low for up to 10 minutes. This will get the gluten working and the dough should be very stretchy and pliable.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 1/2- 2 hours.
After the dough has doubled in size, on a well floured surface roll out the dough into a large rectangle (about 16″ x 20″).
How to prepare the cinnamon roll filling
Mix the room temperature butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together until smooth. It will almost look like a type of frosting.
With a large icing spatula, spread the cinnamon filling evenly over dough, leaving 1 1/2″ of one of long ends without the filling.
Starting at the length of the dough that has cinnamon, carefully roll the dough into a long log.
With a very sharp serrated knife, cut into 12 evenly sized rolls.
Check out my favorite serrated knife here, and also check out my article on my favorite knife set that I’ve had for 12 years (and I LOVE THEM).
Place the cinnamon rolls in a 9 x 12 pan. At this point you can either cover and let them rise again, OR you can cover them and put them in the fridge overnight and bake them in the morning. That is what I do! This leads me to another question…
Can I freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls?
YES!!! You can freeze them once they are prepared, just thaw them in the fridge the night before you want to make them and let them rise for an hour before putting them in the oven.
Baking the cinnamon rolls
Cover and allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350.
Put the pan in the oven and bake them for about 15 minutes. The rolls should begin to brown on the top and the edges. Do not overbake!
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are not complete without the homemade frosting right?!
Take the softened, room temperature cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and add it to a mixing bowl. With an electric hand mixer, mix it together until smooth. Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve with coffee! Enjoy!
Check out these other popular recipes from A Pinch Of Adventure!
Sea Salt Espresso Dark Chocolate Cookies
Shop kitchen items used in this recipe
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup whole milk scalded
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- ⅓ cup sugar granulated
- 1 packet dry active yeast or 2 ½ teas
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour more if needed
- 2 teas salt
For the Cinnamon Filling
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 3 tbs good quality cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 teas vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Dough
- In a saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk by heating it up until it gets bubbly on the sides of the pan. DO NOT BOIL. This is important so that the yeast will activate properly
- Pour the hot milk into the mixing bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer and add the butter. The butter will melt all the way and the temperature of the milk will come down as well. After the butter is melted, add the sugar. Touch the milk, if it is too hot to the touch, add about ¼ cup of flour and stir.
- When the milk is warm and it does not feel hot to the touch, add the yeast and allow it to sit and activate for about 10 minutes. It should get frothy and fragrant
- With the bread hook attachment, turn the mixer on low and add eggs one at a time, salt and remaining flour. Let it hang out on low for about 10 minutes. The dough should come together off the sides of the bowl and become very stretchy and easy to work with. If the dough seems too sticky add a few tablespoons of flour at a time until it seems right.
- Cover with plastic and allow to rise for 1- 1½ hours or until it doubles in size
For the Cinnamon Filling
- Mix softened butter together with the brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Do not refrigerate, Keep it at room temperature until ready to use
Assembling the cinnamon rolls
- When the dough has doubled in size, on a well floured surface dump out the dough. Knead it together slightly.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle (it doesn't have to be perfect). It should be about 16" x 20"
- With an icing spreader, evenly spread the filling over the dough stopping 1 ½ inches from one side along the length. Cinnamon filling can be spread all the way to the edge of the other 3 sides
- Starting on the length that has cinnamon up to the edge, roll the dough completely making a long log. With a sharp serrated knife, cut the log into 12 even cinnamon rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350° and cover the cinnamon rolls allowing them to rise for another 30 minutes. If desired, once the cinnamon rolls are assembled, they can either be refrigerated overnight and baked the next morning, or they can be frozen and baked another time altogether
- Baked the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown along the edges and slightly golden on the top. I like mine gooey, don't overbake it!
- Remove from over and make the cream cheese frosting
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the room temperature butter, cream cheese and vanilla together. After it is creamed together, add the powdered sugar and beat again. Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls
- Serve warm with coffee and enjoy!
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