If there's one thing that can instantly transport you to a state of pure bliss, it's the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafting through your kitchen. Today, I’m sharing a recipe that will not only fill your home with that irresistible scent but will also leave your taste buds singing. Get ready to indulge in cinnamon roll heaven. This is the absolute perfect breakfast for big occasions such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, or just when you’re in the mood for the best cinnamon rolls ever!
Check out these other breakfast ideas for Christmas morning:
- Buttermilk Pancakes (coming to the blog soon!)
- Crepes
Equipment
- 9x13 pan
- String floss
- Standard Mixer
- Other kitchen supplies and tools you already have on hand
Ingredients
- Warm milk
- Yeast
- Eggs
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
- Flour
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup
Instructions
1: Prepare the Dough
- In a standard mixer, combine warm milk and yeast, stirring until dissolved.
- Add butter, sugar, and eggs to the mixture, and combine.
- Add salt and 3 ½ cups of flour until the dough starts to form.
- Then, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes, then mix for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust flour if needed, but the dough will be sticky. Avoid adding too much flour.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl.
2: Let the Dough Rise
- Cover the bowl with a towel and place it in a warm spot in your house. Allow it to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
3: Prepare the Cinnamon Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
4: Rolling and Filling
- Once the dough has doubled in size (about 30 minutes), pour it onto a floured surface.
- Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a large rectangle.
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.
5: Roll and Slice (with floss)
- Roll the dough tightly from one end to the other, forming a log.
- Slice the log into 12 equal parts.
6: Second Rise
- Place the sliced rolls in a greased baking dish, leaving space between each.
- Cover with a towel and let them rise for an additional 30 minutes.
7: Bake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pour the heavy cream over the risen rolls.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8: Frosting & Eat
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Frost the cinnamon rolls & enjoy!
Variations & Substitutions
You don't have to use the heavy cream if you don't want to, but if you're going for super soft cinnamon rolls, that is the secret ingredient.
With each bite, you'll understand why The Girl Who Was Hungry cinnamon rolls are hailed as the best. The perfect combination of a soft, pillowy dough, a luscious cinnamon swirl, and a decadent cream cheese frosting makes these rolls a true delight for any occasion. Whether you're treating yourself or impressing friends and family, these cinnamon rolls are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Happy baking!
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ¾ cup warm milk between 110 - 118 degrees F
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 large egg + 1 egg white
- ½ cup butter softened and almost melted
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour + extra for the countertop when dough has risen
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- ½ cup butter softened and almost melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- ¾ cup heavy cream to pour over risen rolls
For the Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
For the Dough:
- In a standard mixer, add the warm milk and yeast and stir. Add in the butter, sugar and eggs and combine.
- Add in the salt and 3 ½ cups of flour until the dough starts to form. Let rest for 5 minutes and then mix for 5 minutes. Add slightly more flour if needed, but keep in the mind that the dough WILL BE sticky. Do not add too much flour. Transfer to a large greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a warm spot in the house and let rise until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour).
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and mix until well combined.
- Once the dough has doubled in size (about 30 minutes), pour it out onto a floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to a big rectangle and spread the cinnamon filling over the dough rectangle layer.
- Roll the rectangle horizontally to create one big rolled dough. Use floss to cut 12 slices and place in a 9x13 greased pan.
- Cover the pan with a towel and allow the dough to double in size again (about 25 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat the heavy cream up in the microwave slightly and pour it over the cinnamon rolls once they have completely risen.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the center is completely cooked through. Continue baking in the oven until completely cooked. If the rolls start browning too much, cover with tin foil.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat until well blended and then add in the vanilla extract, maple syrup and powdered sugar. Beat well.
- Once rolls have cooled, spread the frosting over the rolls. Enjoy!
Brielle Shurtliff
Delicious!! Fluffy and an absolute delight for the taste buds! Simple recipe to follow as well, I will be making these again for sure💕
McKinley Hatch
Hi Brielle, thank you for trying these cinnamon rolls! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the fluffiness and overall taste! Thanks for your kind comment! XOXO, The Girl Who Was Hungry 🙂
Jackie
The YUMMIEST cinnamon rolls you’ll ever taste! And this recipe makes the perfect amount - you aren’t left feeling like you are drowning in dough or rolls!
McKinley Hatch
Awe, thank you! So glad you enjoyed these. Now I'm craving them too!