Fluffy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Breakfast

Dec 21

Written By Kyle Schermbeck

Fluffy, flaky, pillowy goodness of a cinnamon roll is what we’re about today! Nothing says the holidays, or a cozy morning than the smell of cinnamon rolls. They are decadent, filling, smell like home, and taste like a warm hug. Cinnamon Rolls from scratch are an act of love, but you surely won’t be disappointed. They’ll require two rises, and some patience with the rolling process, but I think these will find their way to many brunch tables - enjoy!

Jump to Recipe

So, what are we making?

Cinnamon rolls are pretty darn delicious. There’s literally nothing wrong with a traditional cinnamon roll - so we’re not going to mess with it too much. Just super fluffy dough, lots of cinnamon and sugar, and touches of vanilla throughout. Sheer perfection.

Yeast: To start, you have to make sure you work with your yeast. Don’t be scared! I use RapidRise Yeast for all of my baking needs. You just have to make mix it with some warm liquid, milk in this case, let it sit until it foams, and then it’s ready to use! Just make sure your liquid isn’t too hot (between 100 and 110 degrees), so you don’t kill the yeast.

Milk: The higher the fat content in your milk, the more flaky and pillowy your dough will be. Whole milk is ideal - but if you don’t have that, you can use whatever you have, and just add an extra tablespoon or two of melted butter into the dough.

Flour: Sifted flour will make your rolls extra fluffy. Take the extra few minutes and you’ll be happy. If you are feeling extra fancy, you can also use bread flour!

Butter: For the filling, I like to use softened butter instead of melted butter. It’s easier to work with, and far less messy and rolling with the cinnamon and sugar.

Filling: The filling for these are super straight forward - cinnamon and brown sugar. You could add some raisins, or nuts, or also some white sugar if you’d like. You do you.

Icing: I’m not a huge icing fan. But for cinnamon rolls, I prefer a classic doughnut style glaze - just milk, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. It’s not too heavy, and lets the cinnamon shine. If you want some cream cheese icing, use the same proportions as the icing here, and add in 2-3 ounces of cream cheese. You will likely want to use a mixer!

What do I need?

Dough

3/4 cup milk, 110 degrees

1 packet yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 cups flour + 3 tablespoons

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup softened butter

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons milk

How do I make these?

Step One: Begin by making the dough. Heat 3/4 cup of milk to about 110 degrees, then gently pour the yeast over the milk and let the mixture sit for roughly 10 minutes. Be sure your milk isn’t too warm - or it’ll kill the yeast, and the cinnamon rolls won’t rise. When activated, the yeast will begin to foam around the edges, and start to smell like bread.

Step Two: When the yeast is activated, pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixture. You can also uses a regular bowl, and knead the dough by hand! Then, add in 1/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup butter, melted, 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients together a few times to begin combing. If you are using a stand-mixture, transfer bowl onto the mixture and with the dough hook, begin to knead for about 8-10 minutes. You are looking for the dough to come together, and not stick to the sides or the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add a few more tablespoons of flour. The dough will be sticky!

If you are using your hands, combine the ingredients in the bowl, and then once combined, transfer to a well floured surface. Begin to kneed the dough with your hands, about 8-10 minutes.

Step Three: Place the kneaded dough into a slightly buttered bowl, cover and place in a warm area to rise for 60-90 minutes. The dough should double in size!

Step Four: After the dough has risen, roll it out onto a well floured surface and knead a few times. Then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, roughly the shape of 9x13. If you can’t roll the dough into an even rectangle, trim some of the edges. This will ensure you get even cinnamon rolls when you cut them!

Step Five: Next, spread the softened butter onto the dough - ensuring you spread to the edges. Then sprinkle over the 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon and 2/3 cup brown sugar.

Step Six: Roll the dough, beginning with the long end, tightly into a log. If you are baking in a 9x9 pan, but the dough evenly into 9 rolls. If you are using a 9x13 pan, cut the dough evenly into 12 rolls. To cut, you can use a piece of twine, a serrated knife, or a bread knife.

Step Seven: Once the dough is cut, and placed in a pan. Cover again, and let rise for another 60-90 minutes. If you are making these ahead, you can also cover them, and immediately place them in refrigerator overnight. When you are ready to bake, take them out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Step Eight: When you are ready to bake, uncover, and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Baking time will depend on the size pan and how thick you cut your rolls!

Step Nine: While the rolls are baking, make your icing. In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Set aside until ready to use.

Step Ten: When cinnamon rolls are cooked through, glaze with the icing and serve immediately!

Fluffy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 50 M

Fluffy, flaky, pillowy goodness of a cinnamon roll is what we’re about today! Nothing says the holidays, or a cozy morning than the smell of cinnamon rolls. They are decadent, filling, smell like home, and taste like a warm hug. Cinnamon Rolls from scratch are an act of love, but you surely won’t be disappointed. They’ll require two rises, and some patience with the rolling process, but I think these will find their way to many brunch tables - enjoy!

Ingredients

Dough

3/4 cup milk, 110 degrees
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups flour + 3 tablespoons
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup softened butter

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Begin by making the dough. Heat 3/4 cup of milk to about 110 degrees, then gently pour the yeast over the milk and let the mixture sit for roughly 10 minutes. Be sure your milk isn’t too warm - or it’ll kill the yeast, and the cinnamon rolls won’t rise. When activated, the yeast will begin to foam around the edges, and start to smell like bread.
When the yeast is activated, pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixture. You can also uses a regular bowl, and knead the dough by hand! Then, add in 1/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup butter, melted, 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients together a few times to begin combing. If you are using a stand-mixture, transfer bowl onto the mixture and with the dough hook, begin to knead for about 8-10 minutes. You are looking for the dough to come together, and not stick to the sides or the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add a few more tablespoons of flour. The dough will be sticky!
If you are using your hands, combine the ingredients in the bowl, and then once combined, transfer to a well floured surface. Begin to kneed the dough with your hands, about 8-10 minutes.
Place the kneaded dough into a slightly buttered bowl, cover and place in a warm area to rise for 60-90 minutes. The dough should double in size!
After the dough has risen, roll it out onto a well floured surface and knead a few times. Then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, roughly the shape of 9x13. If you can’t roll the dough into an even rectangle, trim some of the edges. This will ensure you get even cinnamon rolls when you cut them!
Next, spread the softened butter onto the dough - ensuring you spread to the edges. Then sprinkle over the 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon and 2/3 cup brown sugar.
Roll the dough, beginning with the long end, tightly into a log. If you are baking in a 9x9 pan, but the dough evenly into 9 rolls. If you are using a 9x13 pan, cut the dough evenly into 12 rolls. To cut, you can use a piece of twine, a serrated knife, or a bread knife.
Once the dough is cut, and placed in a pan. Cover again, and let rise for another 60-90 minutes. If you are making these ahead, you can also cover them, and immediately place them in refrigerator overnight. When you are ready to bake, take them out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
When you are ready to bake, uncover, and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Baking time will depend on the size pan and how thick you cut your rolls!
While the rolls are baking, make your icing. In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Set aside until ready to use.
When cinnamon rolls are cooked through, glaze with the icing and serve immediately!