This recipe for the best homemade cinnamon rolls is delicious and simple! The filling is nice and flavorful without being too gooey, they are the perfect balance of roll and filling!
Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite treats. Probably because I love bread, that is no secret! These rolls are soft and fluffy with the perfect ratio of gooey filling to dough. I’m not a fan of rolls that are incredibly gooey, it’s a little too much for me.
This recipe is super simple, and there are just a few resting times that are less than 20 minutes so you can make these rolls in about an hour! First, mix the dry ingredients.
Then the wet ingredients! I mix everything up with a wooden spoon in a large glass bowl. After it’s all mixed together, let it rest for a few minutes. It should look wet and shaggy!
Once it’s done resting, just knead away for a few minutes! Kneading by hand is super easy, here is how you do it.
How to knead bread dough by hand:
- Flour your surface well.
- Flour the top of your dough.
- Form your dough into a ball.
- Press your palm into the top of the dough.
- Fold the dough back on itself.
- Press your palm into the dough.
- Repeat, checking the flour level of your surface as you go.
See, it’s easy! You can also use a stand mixer if you have one to expedite the process. 🙂 Once the dough is kneaded, you can roll it out! Once it’s all rolled out, you’ll spread the butter over the dough. YUMMY.
After the butter, sprinkle that cinnamon sugar over the top!
I like to press the cinnamon sugar mixture into the dough a little bit to make sure it sticks.
Then roll away!! You’ll be rolling the long side of the dough, so you’ll end up with a long log at the end. I DON’T pinch the ends of the dough, I find that makes cinnamon rolls with centers that pop up way to high.
Once the dough is rolled, cut it into the rolls. I usually make marks in my dough so that I can cut even sized cinnamon rolls, this is important for making sure they bake evenly. Here is how you can cut evenly sized cinnamon rolls every time.
How to Cut Cinnamon Rolls:
- Cut the dough in half.
- Cut each half in half so you are left with 4 pieces of rolled dough.
- Cut each of the 4 pieces into 3 pieces.
- This leaves you with 12 evenly sized cinnamon rolls!
I’m all about those soft edges on any type of roll too {like these delicious Easy Dinner Rolls or Classic Orange Rolls}, so I bake my homemade cinnamon rolls in a cast iron skillet so the edges touch. You can use a sheet tray or even pie plates! If you don’t want the edges to be soft and touching, space them out a bit more.
Then it’s into the oven to bake! Could these look any better???? OH MY GOODNESS. I just love these homemade cinnamon rolls.
I ice these as soon as they come out of the oven. That way the icing melts down into the rolls and they become even more glorious. Are you drooling yet????
That’s it!! Tell me if you are TEAM SOFT EDGES or TEAM SPACED OUT for baking homemade cinnamon rolls, I want to know!!
The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 cups flour all purpose
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup water see note
For the Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup butter one stick stick, softened
For the Icing
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
For the Dough
- Mix 3 cups of the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients together in large bowl and create a well in the center.
- Add the egg, butter, milk, and water to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Add the remaining cup of flour and mix until combined.
- Cover and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- On a floured surface, turn out the dough and knead until it comes together and is smooth, about 6-8 minutes by hand or 4 minutes in a stand mixer.
To Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls
- Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Roll out dough into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread softened butter evenly over the top of the dough.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the dough and spread it out evenly. Press lightly to adhere the cinnamon sugar mixture to the butter.
- Roll the rectangle up tightly (you will be rolling the long side) so that you have a long rolled log.
- Cut the log into 12-15 even rolls. This is most easily done by dividing the dough into 4 pieces and then each of the 4 pieces into three pieces (for 12 cinnamon rolls) or dividing the dough into 3 pieces and then each of the 3 pieces into 5 pieces (for 15 cinnamon rolls).
- For rolls with soft sides, place them 1/2 inch apart on a sheet tray, in a pie plate, or in a cast iron skillet. For rolls that do not touch, place 1 1/2 inches apart. Be sure to grease whatever you use to bake them in.
- Cover rolls and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, the tops will just barely start to turn golden and the center cinnamon roll will be cooked through.
For the Icing
- Combine cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract and mix well.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and the milk, mix until smooth.
- Add in the rest of the powdered sugar until your desired consistency is reached, I like the icing to be thick but pourable.
- Pour icing over rolls as soon as they are removed from the oven.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Delicious Bread Ideas:
- How to Bake Bread From Scratch
- Easy Bread Recipe
- Sticky Buns
- Herby Garlic Cheese Bread
- Strawberry Banana Bread
- Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
- Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
- Homemade Focaccia Bread
- Easy Pizza Dough
- 60 Minute Homemade Herb Bread
- Wheat Bread Recipe
- Soft Pretzels
- Homemade Biscuits
- Dutch Oven Bread
- Banana Nut Muffins
- Banana Bread
Angela Hunnel says
I can’t wait to try this recipe! What size of cast iron pan did you use? I have multiple size pans.
Angela
Alli says
Hi Angela! I used a 12 inch skillet but bigger would be fine.
Jill Carr says
I am planning on making these this weekend and I can hardly wait! Will active dry yeast work for this recipe? Or are you referring to instant yeast?
Alli says
I’m so sorry I’m just seeing this, Jill!! I saw your pictures so I’m assuming it all worked out. Great question, though. For future reference, you can use either. I use instant but active dry is similar enough that there isn’t a difference in this recipe.
Janet says
These were the best rolls and for making them it was easy for the first time making this recipe I have made other rolls and these are number one in my book. Do you freeze them with the frosting on them or not.
Alli says
So glad you liked them, Janet!! I freeze the dough before baking after I roll and cut them.
Jessica says
I made these cinnamon rolls for the families father’s day breakfast and they were a hit! Thank you for the recipe. I posted some pictures on Instagram.
Alli says
I am so happy to hear this Jessica!! Thank you for trusting my recipe for Father’s Day. 🙂 Tag me in the pictures so I can share and see!
Alli says
Easy recipe, delicious results!