Cinnamon rolls are the ultimate comfort food, so it’s a good thing this recipe is so easy! Whip up my simple soft bun dough, an easy filling, and slathered with a decadent cream cheese frosting.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Jump To:
Prefer to Watch Instead of Read?
Why These Are the Best Cinnamon Rolls
- They use my Soft Bun Dough recipe, which is a soft and delicious enriched dough that’s really easy to make.
- The cinnamon sugar filling is made with brown sugar, which adds really yummy caramel and molasses notes.
- The cinnamon sugar filling is made as a paste, so there’s no rogue cinnamon sugar falling out of the rolls.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- A batch of my Soft Bun Dough.
- Unsalted butter for both the filling and cream cheese frosting. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes in smoothly.
- Ground cinnamon for the filling. I like using my homemade smoked cinnamon, but regular cinnamon works great!
- Brown sugar for the filling. Use either light or brown dark sugar.
- Salt rounds out the flavour of the filling, balancing the sweetness.
- Cream cheese for the frosting. Plain Philadelphia-style cream cheese works great. Let it come up to room temp before mixing for the smoothest texture.
- Powdered sugar for the frosting, also known as confectioner’s sugar or 10X sugar.
- Vanilla extract adds a warm depth of flavour to the frosting.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls Step-by-Step
1. Make Dough
Make a batch of my Soft Bun Dough, up to the first rise.
2. Make the Filling
While your dough is proofing, mix together some room temperature butter, brown sugar, some cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to form a smooth paste.
3. Fill
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle about 12″ x 16″ (30.5 x 40.5 cm) in size. Dollop the filling on, and spread it out with the back of a spoon.
4. Roll & Cut
Roll it up tightly from either the long side (for 12 standard cinnamon rolls baked in a rectangular pan), or the short side (for 8 chubbier cinnamon rolls baked in a large cake pan), and pinch the seam closed. Cut into even pieces using a serrated knife. I like to cut it in half first, then cut each half in half. Then for 8 rolls cut each piece in half again, or for 12 cut in thirds.
5. Proof & Bake
Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased pan and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Leave at room temperature until not quite doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour. Towards the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚F). Bake until risen and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
6. Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Put the room temp cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Start mixing on low until the powdered sugar starts to get incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until light and fluffy. Slather the cream cheese on top of the cinnamon rolls once they’ve cooled down completely.
Get Perfect Soft & Gooey Cinnamon Rolls Every Time
- Don’t flour the counter when rolling out the dough, or add any extra flour to the dough. The high hydration of the dough is what gives it its softness and fluffy texture.
- Overproofing the rolls can cause them to collapse in the oven, which makes for dense cinnamon rolls. Try to catch them when they’re not quite doubled, and spring back gently when poked.
- Pour about ½ cup of heavy cream over the rolls just before putting them in the oven, to get cinnamon rolls with a deliciously gooey texture and rich flavour.
Make Ahead & Storage Options
- In the fridge: The baked and frosted rolls will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Overnight rise: Fill and cut the cinnamon rolls and let them rise in their pan in the fridge overnight to deepen flavour.
Ideas for Customizing Your Cinnamon Rolls
- Rub orange or lemon zest into the brown sugar before adding it to the filling.
- Add up to ½ teaspoon of other spices to the filling like ginger, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves. Keep in mind that some of these spices are quite strong (like nutmeg) so add a little at a time and taste before adding more.
- After spreading the filling on the dough, sprinkle on some chopped toasted nuts or chocolate chips
- Pour about ½ cup of heavy cream over the rolls just before baking for a decadent gooey texture.
Super Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Method
- Make filling: Add 75 g unsalted butter, 50 g brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and pinch fine sea salt to a small mixing bowl and mix to form a smooth paste.
- Fill: After the first rise, roll the dough out to a rectangle about 12" x 18" (30.5 x 40.5 cm). Dollop the filling on, then spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Roll: Roll the rectangle up from the long side to make 12 standard cinnamon rolls baked in a rectangular pan, or from the short side to make 8 jumbo cinnamon rolls baked in a large round cake pan.
- Proof: Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased pan, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and leave at room temperature until almost doubled. Towards the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C).
- Bake: Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 25–30 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan completely.
- Make cream cheese frosting: Add 85 g cream cheese, 40 g unsalted butter, 120 g powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Start mixing on low speed to incorporate the powdered sugar, then bring it up to medium high and beat until light and fluffy. Slather the frosting on top of the cinnamon rolls after they have cooled completely.
Leave a Reply