Those cinnamon rolls were exactly what I channeled while working on this recipe. I wanted to deliver a recipe for big, puffy, bakery-style cinnamon rolls that anyone can make at home.
Video: How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Pillowy Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls
In my vision for these perfect cinnamon rolls, I wanted a dough that would bake up into pillowy spirals, each roll squishing up to its neighbor, leaving a feathery stretch of bread when pulled apart. This dough is rich, but it’s not actually all that sweet. This makes it the perfect canvas for the buttery brown sugar and cinnamon filling. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the rolls while they’re still warm. This way some of the frosting melts into the cinnamony-spirals.
A Slow Rise for the Best Cinnamon Rolls
The dough I ultimately created is best made over two days.
Day 1: I mix the dough the night before baking and let it slowly rise in the refrigerator overnight.Day 2: The next morning, I roll, fill, and bake the rolls.
Not only does this break up the work, but I think the flavor from a slow-risen dough tastes better. It’s also much easier to work with cold dough when you’re rolling and shaping the rolls. You can get a lot more spirals in your cinnamon rolls with cold dough!
Butter Makes Cinnamon Rolls Better!
Also, if you’ve never tried adding butter to your cinnamon roll dough before, just wait until you try this recipe. It’s very similar to a brioche dough, and it makes rolls that are rich, fluffy, and incredibly tender. This recipe works best if the butter for the dough is very soft. Take the butter out of the fridge a few hours before you want to make the dough to give it time to soften, or even the night before. If you forget, or don’t have time to let the butter soften, slice it into tablespoons and knead each piece between your fingers before adding it to the dough.
READ MORE! 4 Tips for Making the Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever
Storing and Freezing Cinnamon Rolls
I think these rolls are best the day they are made, when they are still slightly warm and the frosting nice thick and sweet. They’ll start to dry out the longer they keep, but you can still enjoy them.
To reheat: I like to reheat them quickly in the microwave for about 20 seconds, just until the icing begins to melt.To freeze unbaked rolls: Make them through the rolling and cutting step and place them in the pan but don’t do the second rise. Cover them, and freeze. When you want to bake them, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Let the rolls rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. Bake as directed in the recipe.To freeze baked rolls: It’s best to freeze unfrosted cinnamon rolls, as the frosting gets sticky when thawed. (Though if you don’t mind that, go ahead and freeze your leftover frosted cinnamon rolls!) Freeze the rolls individually and thaw them in the microwave in 30 second intervals until warmed through.
More Ooey Gooey Sweet Things to Love!
Cinnamon Sticky Buns Raspberry Jam Sweet Rolls Caramel Apple Monkey Bread Swedish Coffee Bread
1 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 6 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, very soft
For the filling:
1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or slightly less table salt)
For the frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature 1 to 4 tablespoons milk, whole or 2% 2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch kosher salt
Add the eggs, flour, and salt to the bowl and mix on medium speed until a sticky dough is formed. Beat in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, waiting until the butter is incorporated before adding the next batch. The butter needs to be very soft for this to work; if the butter isn’t incorporating, knead each piece in your fingers until soft before adding it to the dough. Once all the butter is incorporated, knead the dough for 10 minutes on medium speed (or knead by hand). Spread the dough with butter, leaving a 1-inch border on one of the shorter edges. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the butter in an even layer. Starting from the short edge (the one with butter all the way to the edge), roll the dough into a tight spiral. Pinch the spiral closed (the unbuttered edge should stick to the log of dough). Trim the ends if they are shaggy. Cut the roll in half crosswise to make 2 pieces. Cut each piece in half again to make 4, and each piece again to make a total of 8 rolls. Place the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
