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Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
- 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Filling
- 3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
- 1 cup (120g) powdered (confectioners') sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) strong coffee (or use milk/cream instead)
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the milk and butter together in a heatproof bowl. Microwave or use the stove and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C, no higher). Whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg, and stir with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon OR use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough is super soft or sticky, you can add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl (I use non-stick spray), cover loosely, and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes as you get the filling ingredients ready.
- Fill the rolls: After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 14×8-inch (36×20-cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10–12 even rolls and arrange in a lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, pie dish, or square baking pan.
- Rise: Cover the pan with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60–90 minutes or until double in size.
- Bake the rolls: After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 24–27 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. If you want to be precise about their doneness, their internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 195–200°F (91–93°C) when done. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack as you make the icing. (You can also make the icing as the rolls bake.)
- Make the glaze: Right before serving, top your cinnamon rolls with glaze. Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons coffee together until smooth and drizzle over rolls. If it seems too thick, add 1 more tablespoon coffee. You may replace the coffee with milk or cream if you do not want a coffee-flavored glaze. If you prefer a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar and then add salt to cut the sweetness. (See note below for Cream Cheese Icing option.)
- Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions: This dough can be made the night before through step 4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise in a warm environment, about 1 hour. Continue with step 6.
Freezing Instructions: Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up before enjoying. You can also freeze the unbaked rolls and here’s how: bake the rolls in step 6 for only about 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze. To serve, take the pan of rolls out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Then, finish baking them for the remaining 15–18 minutes.
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4-ounces (113g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Hazelnut Sweet Rolls
These chocolate hazelnut sweet rolls have a homemade filling and an easy espresso glaze, making them a wonderful indulgence for breakfast or brunch.
More Sweet Roll Recipes
Review & Comments
Chris | •
My husband didn’t want to eat today the only thing he would say was honey bun or cinnamon bun. So I went through recipes I had printed off to try. So I made this one and he liked it. He has cancer so sometimes he doesn’t want to eat. Very happy he liked these cinnamon buns!
Christy | •
I’m trying to make cinnamon rolls from scratch. I decided to make them at the last minute. I don’t have any unsalted butter can I use regular butter. If so would I still put salt in the recipe or would it have enough salt. If the salt does need to be measured differently how much salt do I use. Thank you
Hi Christy,
Yes I think you can make the swap without an adjustment. Since cinnamon rolls are so sweet I don’t think you would notice a difference.
Happy Baking!
sejal P patel | •
How would I change this recipe to use fresh yeast please?
Hi Sejal,
Use 1/3 of a 2-oz. cake yeast to replace the 1 packet of dry yeast. Use luke warm liquids. You may need to adjust the rise times, just keep an eye on the dough.
Happy baking!
Carol
Kim | •
Okay to use instant yeast? Also can I use my stand mixer with dough hook?
Hi Kim,
Yes, you can use instant or active dry yeast in this recipe, and the stand mixer will work just fine for mixing and kneading the dough.
Happy baking!
Carol
Dear David,
Thank you for your comment. The margins have been made smaller, and the recipe will now print on one page.
Happy baking!
Carol