Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
Enriched yeast dough with a slow overnight rise, an ooey-gooey brown sugar and cinnamon swirl, and a tangy cream cheese icing melted over the top warm from the oven.
oven Timer
Set for 25 mins @ 350°F (177°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 12 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Mix warm milk, sugar, yeast, butter, egg, salt, and flour into a soft dough. Rise 60 minutes until doubled.
Roll to 12x18 inches, spread with softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Roll tight and cut into 12 with dental floss.
Second rise 30 minutes in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until 190°F internal.
Slather with cream cheese glaze while warm so it melts into every crevice.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
In a stand mixer bowl, whisk 1 cup warm milk (110°F), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast. Let bloom 5 minutes until foamy. Add 1 large egg, 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp salt, and 4 cups all-purpose flour. Knead with dough hook on medium-low for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and tacky but not sticky.
Milk temperature is critical — below 105°F yeast wakes slowly, above 115°F it dies. Use a thermometer, not your finger.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and rise in a warm spot (75°F to 80°F) for 60 minutes until doubled in volume. For overnight prep, place in the fridge instead and let it slow-rise 8 to 12 hours.
A cold overnight rise builds deeper flavor and makes the dough easier to roll thin without snapping back.
Punch down the dough and roll on a lightly floured surface into a 12 by 18 inch rectangle. Spread 6 tbsp softened butter edge to edge. Mix 1 cup packed brown sugar with 2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the butter, pressing gently to adhere.
Softened — not melted — butter is the key. Melted butter runs out the ends and drowns the pan in syrup instead of forming a defined swirl.
Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Slice into 12 equal rolls using a piece of unflavored dental floss slid under the log and crossed over the top.
Dental floss cuts cleaner than any knife and does not squish the spiral shape flat — a knife compresses the layers on every slice.
Arrange the 12 rolls cut-side up in a buttered 9x13 metal pan, leaving small gaps for expansion. Cover loosely and rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes until puffy and touching.
Rolls should look puffy and pillowy, not aggressively risen. Over-proofed rolls collapse in the oven.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 22 to 28 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the center rolls read 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
The center rolls always finish last. Test the middle roll, not an edge one, or you will pull an underbaked pan.
While rolls rest 10 minutes, beat 4 oz softened cream cheese with 3 tbsp softened butter until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 tbsp milk. Spread thickly over warm rolls so the glaze melts into every swirl.
Glazing while warm — but not screaming hot — gives you that classic ooey-gooey drip without turning the frosting to soup.
For make-ahead: after cutting the rolls and placing them in the pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit on the counter for 45 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. Fresh cinnamon rolls with zero morning-of dough work.
Kids love a thicker glaze — double the powdered sugar in the frosting and add sprinkles right after glazing while it is still tacky.
- Fresh brewed coffee or cold brew
- Crispy bacon strips
- Scrambled eggs with chives
Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 20 to 25 seconds, or warm the whole pan covered with foil in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes. Add a fresh drizzle of glaze after reheating.