Description
Delight in these soft, classic Cinnamon Rolls featuring a tender yeast dough filled with a sweet cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, baked to golden perfection and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze or optional cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, these homemade cinnamon rolls offer a warm, comforting treat that fills your kitchen with irresistible aroma.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast
- ½ cup warm water, 110°F
- 1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Dough
- ⅓ cup melted butter or coconut oil, plus more for brushing
- ½ cup milk, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
Filling
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Other Frosting Options (instead of the glaze)
- 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease an 8×11 or 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly with butter to prevent sticking during baking.
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently and set aside for 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy, indicating it is active.
- Make Dough: In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter, room temperature milk, granulated sugar, and sea salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and stir well. Place the all-purpose flour in a larger bowl and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until combined – the mixture will be sticky.
- Knead Dough: Turn the sticky dough onto a floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a ball.
- First Rise: Brush a large bowl with butter, place the dough inside and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
- Prepare Filling: In a small bowl, blend the dark brown sugar with cinnamon until evenly mixed.
- Shape Rolls: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a 20×14-inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on edges.
- Roll and Slice: Starting at a short 14-inch end, roll the dough tightly into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 equal rolls.
- Second Rise: Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover and let them rise for another hour until puffy.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while the rolls undergo their second rise.
- Make Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk if glaze is too thick. Alternatively, prepare cream cheese frosting instead of glaze.
- Bake Rolls: Uncover the rolls and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are lightly golden on top and cooked through.
- Cool and Glaze: Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle the prepared glaze or spread cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls before serving.
Notes
- Ensure water temperature is approximately 110°F to properly activate yeast without killing it.
- Kneading time is brief to keep dough soft; over-kneading can make rolls tough.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute milk with plant-based milk and use coconut oil instead of butter.
- Allowing the dough to rise in a warm place is critical for fluffy rolls.
- Rolls can be made a day ahead; after glazing, store covered at room temperature or refrigerate.
- Adjust cinnamon and sugar amount in filling to taste for less or more sweetness and spice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cinnamon roll
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
