Description
The easiest, no-fuss recipe to make the most incredibly soft and moist cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Dough ingredients:
- 160g whole milk (2/3 cup)
- 50g sugar (1/4 cup)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 325g all purpose flour (2 1/2 cup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 60g unsalted butter, softened (1/4 cup)
Filling ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (56g)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (100g)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (60g) - for soaking rolls
Frosting ingredients:
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (35g)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (~60g)
Instructions
- Microwave milk for 20-30 seconds until it is warm to touch (not scalding). Add it to a bowl with the yeast, whisk, and rest for 10 minutes or until the mixture looks foamy
- Add the rest of the dough ingredients to the same bowl. Use a large wooden spoon to mix everything and bring it into a dough
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface, then use clean hands to knead the dough with a push-pull motion for 8-10 minutes. You can use a cake scraper to keep the surface clean as the dough will be quite sticky to begin with
- Keep kneading the dough until it is soft, smooth and stretchy
- Transfer to a clean bowl sprayed with some oil, cover with cling wrap and rest in a warm place for 60-90 minutes until the dough doubles in size
- In the meanwhile, prepare the filling by mixing softened butter with cinnamon, sugar and salt
- Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a clean bench dusted lightly with flour. Using your hands and a rolling pin, roll it into a 12x14" rectangle
- Use a spatula to spread the filling evenly across the rectangle
- With the 12" side towards you, divide the dough into 6 strips (each strip will be 2" wide and 14" long)
- Roll each strip tightly into a cinnamon roll, and transfer to a small eighth sheet pan lined with parchment paper
- Once all 6 cinnamon rolls are shaped, let them rest in a warm spot for another 30-45 minutes until they look a bit more puffed up and spring back partly when gently poked
- In the last 20 minutes of the wait, preheat your oven to 375F (conventional)
- Right before putting the rolls in the oven, pour the heavy cream over them
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the rolls develop a light golden color and feel firm to touch
- Remove from oven and let them rest as you make the frosting
- For the frosting, place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until a smooth frosting forms
- Spread the frosting over the rolls while they are still warm
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The dough will be quite sticky when you start kneading it. Don't be tempted to add more flour, just keep kneading and it will eventually become soft and smooth
- These are quite large cinnamon rolls. If you want medium sized ones, you can make 9 rolls and bake them in a 9x9" pan instead
- If you don't want to make a cream cheese frosting, you can make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and cream instead
- Store cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge and microwave for 15 seconds before enjoying
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American