Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
These Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting bake up soft and fluffy with a gooey brown sugar-cinnamon filling and rich homemade frosting. They’re perfect for holidays, brunch, slow weekends, or prepping overnight and baking fresh in the morning.
Servings: 12 Rolls
Calories: 554kcal
Equipment
- Instant Read Digital Thermometer Optional
- Rolling Pin
- 1 9x13-Inch Baking Dish Or (x2) 7x11-inch Baking Dishes
- Parchment Paper
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 1 ¼ Cups Whole Milk Warmed to 90–100°F
- 2 ¼ Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast Or one packet
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 4 ½ Cups Bread Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 2 Eggs Beaten
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Softened - Plus more for greasing
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling
- 8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Softened
- ¾ Cup Light Brown Sugar Packed
- 3 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
For Baking
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream For pouring between the rolls right before baking
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 oz. Cream Cheese Softened; block-style preferred
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Softened
- 1 ⅓ Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ⅛ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
- Cinnamon Roll Dough: Warm the milk and honey in a small saucepan to 90–100°F, stirring until the honey dissolves. Remove from the heat, whisk in the active dry yeast, and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour and fine sea salt. Add the yeast mixture, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and softened butter. Mix on low until combined, then knead on medium-low speed for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- Shape the dough into a ball, transfer it to a bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling: While the dough rises, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and fine sea salt until smooth and spreadable.
- Assembly and Baking: Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish (or two 7 x 11-inch baking dishes) with butter and parchment paper. If baking the same day, preheat the oven to 325°F and move the rack to the upper third of the oven.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into an approximate 12x18-inch rectangle, about ¼ to ½-inch thick.
- Spread the brown sugar cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving about 1 inch of uncovered dough along the top edge.
- Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log. Lightly pinch the seam together if needed.
- Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife to cut the dough into 12 even rolls. Arrange the rolls in the prepared baking dish.
- Cover the pan and let the rolls rise until puffy and touching, about 1 hour.
- Pour the heavy cream between the rolls right before baking. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden and cooked through (195–200°F internally). If baking from the refrigerator, they may need a few extra minutes. Let the rolls cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before frosting.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt until smooth, about 2 minutes. Spread the frosting over the warm rolls and serve.
For overnight rolls, shorten this rise to about 45 minutes, then cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, pull the pan out while the oven preheats, then continue with the baking instructions.
Notes
- For cleaner slices, use unflavored dental floss to cut the dough log into rolls. Slide the floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and firmly pull through.
- Add the heavy cream after the second rise and right before baking. This helps keep the bottoms soft and rich instead of dry or overly caramelized.
- For the overnight method, give the shaped rolls a shorter second rise, refrigerate overnight, then add the heavy cream right before baking in the morning.
- Frost the rolls while they are warm, but not hot, so the frosting softens up and settles over the tops without completely melting into the pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 934IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg
