These Cinnamon Rolls are a classic breakfast staple. They’re flaky, buttery and indulgent. Begin with a simple dough that gets slathered with cinnamon butter, sprinkled with a generous portion of brown sugar and gets baked until golden brown. Finish it off by allowing a decadent icing melt into every freshly baked crevice. This Cinnamon Roll recipe make 12 perfectly sized rolls and are a year round breakfast or dessert favorite.
I have to believe that any breakfast wouldn’t be complete without Cinnamon Rolls, however that’s maybe unrealistic. But it shouldn’t be. Growing up, we always had the cinnamon rolls in a can ready to go in the refrigerator. Delicious, yes. But there really is nothing better than fresh, made-from-scratch cinnamon rolls. I set out to create a recipe that checked all the boxes of what I think a cinnamon roll should be. Those key characteristics are: flaky, soft, sweet, buttery and of course, cinnamon-y.
Don’t forget about the icing on top. I know a lot of cinnamon rolls have the more “traditional” cream cheese frosting but it’s not my favorite. I’m not a fan of making cream cheese sweeter than it is. The icing for this recipe is made with powdered sugar, cream and a little maple syrup which adds an extra bit of richness. What makes this frosting successful is that it spreads easily and slightly melts into the rolled layers.
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS
Yeast – I find using active dry yeast to be my favorite to work with. Active dry yeast does require having a warmed liquid to aid in “blooming” the yeast. Blooming yeast helps to rise the dough. The packaging will indicate what temperature you need the liquid heated up to, a thermometer can be used to get exact temperatures. In this recipe we combine milk, yeast and a little sugar, to help bloom the yeast. The liquid will look foamy and bubbly once it has bloomed (the yeast eats the sugar). Usually around the 5 minute mark you can add the rest of the ingredients.
Dough – The dough is very simple to put together. Once the yeast has bloomed, add in all the ingredients. I used a stand mixer to do the heavy work for me, it takes about 5 minutes until the dough is glossy and ready to be transferred to a bowl and covered. I will usually start with 4 1/4 cups of flour to ensure that I don’t dry out the dough too much. If it’s sticking on the sides of the bowl I will add the last 1/4 cup of flour. I find that letting the dough sit at room temperature with a towel covering the bowl works great!
Rising – The dough rises for a total of an hour, any more than that without refrigeration will lead to over-proofing. When it’s almost doubled in size, it’s done. Keep the dough covered and place in a refrigerator for about 30 minutes, this will make it easier to roll out. If you choose to leave it in the refrigerator longer, let it sit out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling it out.
Cinnamon Butter – Plain, simple and delicious. Adding cinnamon to the softened butter doesn’t effect the overall taste but it’s what I prefer and it feels equally spread. Make extra and save the leftovers for some pancakes or another breakfast treat.
Baking Rolls – These will take about 35 minutes to bake. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t get too golden brown.
Icing – This icing is super delicious and easy to make. I add maple syrup to give the rolls a little extra flavor. I allow to the rolls to cool for 5 minutes before I pour and spread.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- Can I prep this the day before? To save some time the day of bake, you absolutely can. After you let the dough rise for an hour, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature the next day before rolling it out. This will take about 15-30 minutes. Start at step 5.
- I only have Instant yeast or rapid rise yeast – what do I do? Use it! The difference between rapid rise and active dry is you can add rapid rise yeast right to your dry ingredients, in this case the flour/salt mixture. Measure out the yeast the same in the recipe. Follow instructions on the packaging for what the temperature needs to be for the liquid.
HAPPY BAKING!
If you do try these Cinnamon Rolls, I’d love for you post a photo and tag me on Instagram, @LakeShoreBakes or #LakeshoreBakes so I can see your delicious creations. And be sure to leave a comment, I’ll always respond! Happy baking!
Print
Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 Cinnamon Rolls 1x
Description
These cinnamon rolls are soft, flaky and indulgent. Baked until golden brown with icing melting into every freshly baked crevice.
Ingredients
- 4 1/4–4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (extra for dusting)
- 11 tablespoons butter, cut into 11 slices
- 1 cup warm whole milk (110-115 degrees F)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (see note about instant yeast)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cream or milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan and set aside. In a small saucepan warm 1 cup of milk on low heat until it’s 110-115 degrees F. Pour into stand mixer bowl, add active dry yeast, and the sugar. Lightly mix together and let sit for 5 minutes. It will start to bloom and bubble.
- Add 4 1/4 cups flour, sliced butter, both eggs and salt. Turn the mixer on low and allow it to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Turn mixer on medium-medium high and mix 5 minutes or until dough looks glossy and doesn’t stick to your fingers. If needed, add 1/4 cup extra flour.
- Using your hands, mold the dough into a smooth ball. Place dough back in the mixer bowl, or transfer dough to a large bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about an hour or until dough looks almost double in size.
- Once dough has risen, place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.
- Mix together softened butter and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, punch down the dough and roll it out to 16×11 inches, the long sides facing you. Using a spatula or knife, spread the cinnamon butter leaving a 1/2 inch gap at the top to seal the dough on itself. Sprinkle the brown sugar all over and lightly press into the dough.
- Starting at the bottom left corner tightly roll and pinch while moving to the right. Go back and forth until you can roll the log using your palms, ending on the 1/2 inch section. Lightly squeeze from the middle out if it’s a little thicker. Cut 1 1/2 inch sections and place 3 rows of 4 cinnamon rolls on the prepared baking pan. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes or until it’s almost doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place risen cinnamon rolls into the oven and bake 30-35 minutes until lightly golden brown. While rolls bake, make the icing by whisking together powdered sugar, cream and maple syrup. Set aside. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool 5 minutes. Drizzle icing on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Can I prep this the day before? To save some time the day of bake, you absolutely can. After you let the dough rise for an hour, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature the next day before rolling it out. This will take about 15-30 minutes. Start at step 5.
- I only have Instant yeast or Rapid rise yeast – what do I do? Use it! The difference between rapid rise and active dry is you can add rapid rise yeast right to your dry ingredients, in this case the flour/salt mixture. Measure out the yeast the same in the recipe. Follow instructions on the packaging for what the temperature needs to be for the liquid.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes