Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe

4.97 from 140 votes

Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe

This easy cinnamon roll recipe is smothered with homemade cream cheese frosting and best of all, ready in only ONE hour!

Prep Time25

Cook Time17

Rest Time10

Total Time52

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lil' Luna

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons rapid rise yeast
2 large eggs
½ tablespoon salt
5-5½ cups bread flour

Filling

⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3-4 tablespoons milk (or half-and-half), as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl, mix water, buttermilk, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Add eggs and salt, then mix in flour one cup at a time. Once all flour has been added, mix for an additional 5 minutes, then allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your filling. Mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a large baking dish or jelly roll pan (or a 9-x-13-inch baking dish if you are fine with your rolls touching).
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread filling over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Roll the dough into a log starting at the long edge, making sure the seam is on the bottom.
Use a long piece of unflavored dental floss or sewing thread to cut the roll into 12 large rolls or 18 smaller rolls. Gently place the floss under the spot you wish to cut, then bring the floss up, cross it over the top, and pull the ends so it slices right through the dough.
Place rolls cut side up in the prepared pan. Bake for 17–20 minutes.
While the rolls are baking, mix all frosting ingredients in a large bowl, starting with 3 tablespoons of milk and adding more as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
When rolls come out of the oven, immediately spread a layer of frosting on warm rolls. Add another layer of frosting once cooled.

Video

Notes

Variations. Sprinkle raisins or chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, over the filling before you roll the dough.

Bread flour. All-purpose flour can work in this recipe, but bread flour works best. To make your own, add 1½ teaspoons of vital wheat gluten to a 1 cup measuring cup then fill the cup the rest of the way up with all-purpose flour. Sift the contents.

Prep ahead of time. Form cinnamon rolls, but don't bake. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight or wrap tightly and freeze for 6-8 weeks. Allow rolls to come to room temperature before baking.

Store cooled rolls, covered, at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze baked rolls. Wrap the pan, or individual rolls, with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil and put in the freezer for 2-3 months.

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