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–+ servings
5 from 1 vote

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

By Britney
Prep: 3 hours
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12
homemade cinnamon rolls on a serving board with glaze being drizzle on top.
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Bakery-style homemade cinnamon rolls that are plush, fluffy, and gooey with sweet cinnamon sugar swirls and cream cheese glaze.

Equipment

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Ingredients 

  • 4 cups (508 g) Bread Flour
  • 2 cups (250 g) Cake Flour
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (270 g) Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) Sugar, (+1 tbsp for the yeast mixture)
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 2 tsp (1 tsp) Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) Whole Milk
  • 1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 large (100 g) Eggs, (room temperature)
  • 1 large (18 g) Egg Yolk
  • 2 tsp (1 tbsp) Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 1/4 cup (56 g) Vegetable Oil
  • 3/4 cup (170 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
  • 4 tbsp (40 g) Milk Powder
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) Heavy Cream, (for pouring on top of the cinnamon rolls, don't add to the dough)

Cinnamon Caramel Pan Sauce

  • 1/2 cup (114 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
  • 1 cup (220 g) Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp (42 g) Honey
  • 3 tbsp (45 g) Heavy Cream

Cinnamon Roll Filling

  • 1/2 cup (113 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
  • 1 cup (220 g) Brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) Heavy Cream

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 oz (170 g) Cream Cheese, (room temperature)
  • 4 tbsp (56 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
  • 2 cups (250 g) Powdered Sugar
  • 3-6 tbsp Heavy Cream, (depending on the consistency you prefer)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

Instructions 

  • Combine flours in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Scoop out 3 cups (379g) of the flour and add to the bowl of a stand mixer, then pour in 1 cup of buttermilk. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms. If there's still a lot of scraggly pieces, add the remaining 1-2 tbsp of buttermilk and mix until the dough sticks together. (it won't be smooth but should be cohesive) Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
  • In the mixing bowl with the remaining flour, add sugar, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Whisk together and set aside.
  • After the 30 minutes is up, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp of sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk together and allow the yeast to bloom and become bubbly and foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Once the yeast is foamy, add eggs and egg yolk, oil, and vanilla bean paste and whisk together. Pour into the mixing bowl with the flour/sugar mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms and is just combined.
  • Remove the plastic wrap from the rested dough and add in the shaggy dough. Place bowl onto the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on medium speed until the dough starts to come together, this should take about 2-3 minutes. (If the dough begins to collect at the bottom of the bowl - this is ok, it’ll all come together - keep going!)
  • Once the dough comes together, slowly begin to add the butter, 2 tbsps at a time, ensuring the butter is fully incorporated prior to adding more (about 45 seconds in between each addition).
  • Once all of the butter is added, add in milk powder and mix on high speed for 8-12 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is a soft, shiny ball of dough. At the 8 minute mark, grab a piece of the dough and stretch it until you’re able to see through it (windowpane test). If the dough breaks, mix for another 2-4 minutes, and try it again. If the dough does not break, place the dough into a lightly oiled large mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, about 1 1/2 hours, until it’s doubled in size.
  • While the dough Is rising, make the caramel pan sauce, cinnamon filling, and the icing. For caramel pan sauce, mix together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl - butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and heavy cream. Smear this on the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.
  • To make the filling, combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl and mix together until smooth. Set aside.
  • To make the icing, combine cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to cream together for 1-2 minutes, until fully combined, add powdered sugar and 3 tbsp heavy cream (add more for a thinner consistency) and mix until combined and smooth. Then add vanilla bean paste and a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.
  • Once the dough is risen, gently remove dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently stretch the dough into a 12x18 rectangle. Try to avoid using a rolling pin as you want to keep as much of the air in the rolls as possible to make sure they’re nice and fluffy! The dough is soft enough that you should be able to gently use your hands and stretch into the rectangle. (You can use a rolling pin if needed)
  • Smooth the filling mixture on top of the dough and cut into 12 equal sized strips using a knife or pizza cutter. (Pro tip: if you're having difficulty spreading the filling, pop the bowl into the microwave for 10-15 seconds and it helps it spread easily) You can also roll into a log and cut into 12 rolls - whichever method you find easiest! Roll each strip into a spiral and place into the prepared baking pan.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rolls onto the prepared pan with the sauce spread around it. Allow the rolls to rise again and become fluffy - about 25-40 minutes. Once puffy, drizzle 1/3 cup of heavy cream around and on top of the rolls (they don’t need to be drowned in cream, just lightly touched).
  • I like to place the baking dish onto a baking sheet just in case any juices leak out of the pan - this prevent it from leaking onto the bottom of the oven and burning) Bake for 35-45 minutes on the middle rack of the oven, until the tops of the rolls are browned. 
  • If the icing has solidified, pop into the microwave for 10-15 seconds and pour on top of the rolls. Putting the icing on while the rolls are hot will slightly melt the icing and turn it into a glaze-like texture. If you prefer more of a frosting-like consistency (like that of frosting on a cake), allow the rolls to cool for at least 30-45 minutes prior to adding the icing. 

Notes

  • Read the full recipe before baking! I am fully aware that this recipe is a bit fussy at first, but once the dough is assembled, it's smooth sailing from there. Please read the ENTIRE recipe first to prevent any mishaps or mistakes along the way!
  • Measure your ingredients with a kitchen scale: This will provide the BEST results with the most accurate measurements. Too much flour = dry rolls, too little = gummy centers. Always spoon and level, or better yet, weigh your flour for accuracy.
  • Proof the dough properly: If your house is cold, place the dough into the oven with the oven light on to provide a warm spot for the dough to rise. Keep in mind, rise times can vary so you'll want to ensure that the dough has actually doubled in size as opposed to following the clock. I wouldn't let it go any more than 2 hours. 
  • Pro Tip: When you roll the dough out to add the cinnamon roll filling, I sprinkle a little flour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into the exact shape as the baking sheet. This ensures that the shape is correct and allows you to get the dough into one even layer.
  • Don't skip the second rise! ​This allows the rolls to become nice and fluffy while baking in the oven by incorporating air into the dough - aka the perfect cinnamon rolls. 

Nutrition

Calories: 955kcal, Carbohydrates: 121g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 50g, Saturated Fat: 28g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 167mg, Sodium: 740mg, Potassium: 220mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 71g, Vitamin A: 1528IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 159mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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