The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon rolls are soft, light, and packed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. They are topped with a cream cheese icing that will have you licking your fingers for all of that ooey-gooey deliciousness.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon Rolls

A favorite childhood memory is my mom going to our local bakery, and picking up a dozen hot, fresh, melt in your mouth cinnamon rolls every Saturday morning. This was a treat! The rolls were huge and covered with cinnamon and sugar and just a touch of frosting. That smell and taste are still ingrained in my memory from many years ago.

In my opinion, Cinnamon Rolls are one of the best foods around. They are great for breakfast, snacks, desserts, holiday gatherings, and really just whenever. Who doesn’t like a warm cinnamon roll fresh from the oven? I know I do, and it’s hard to eat just one.

This recipe is really simple, and the rolls taste like they are from a bakery. They melt in your mouth and are to die for. They are completely homemade, baked, and covered with a cream cheese icing. You will definitely be the star of your family for making these.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

1 cup milk heated to 110 degrees
1 ( 1/4 ounce) package Rapid Rise instant yeast fast acting
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups self rising flour

In a bowl, combine the yeast with the heated milk and let dissolve.
In another bowl add the beaten eggs, softened butter, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add flour and stir well.
Pour the milk/yeast mixture into the bowl and mix well. The dough will be a little sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl.
Cover dough with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. The dough will almost double in size.
Roll the dough out onto a floured surface into the shape of a rectangle (about 16 x 10″)and 1/4 inch thick.

Filling:

1/2 stick softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
Brush the dough with the softened butter.
In a bowl, mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together. Sprinkle on top of the dough. Cover the dough completely with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Starting with the long end, begin rolling the dough. Keep the roll as tight as possible.
Cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch slices.
Placed the sliced rolls into a well-greased 13×9 inch pan, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes. This is the 2nd rise. They will almost double in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Icing:

1/2 block cream cheese softened
4 tablespoons butter softened
1 Tablespoons vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

While the rolls are baking, mix the icing.
Beat the cream cheese and butter together. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk. Beat on low until light and creamy. Add more milk if needed to make a slightly pourable icing. Allow rolls to cool slightly before adding the icing. Spread the icing generously on top of the rolls. I store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Be sure to try my Carrot Cake for your next gathering. It is my most requested dessert.  Banana Nut Bread will have your whole house smelling wonderful.

Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Gina Abernathy
Homemade Cinnamon rolls are soft, light, and packed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. They are topped with a cream cheese icing that will have you licking your fingers for all of that ooey-gooey deliciousness.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 10 people

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 1 cup milk heated to 110 degrees
  • 1/4 ounce package Rapid Rise Instant Yeast
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 cup butter,softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 cups self-rising flour

Filling

  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing

  • 1/2 block cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoons vanilla
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions
 

Dough

  • In a bowl, combine the yeast with the heated milk and let dissolve. In another bowl add the beaten eggs, softened butter, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add flour and stir well. Pour the milk/yeast mixture into the bowl and mix well. The dough will be a little sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover dough with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. The dough will almost double in size. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface into the shape of a rectangle (about 16 x 10″)and 1/4 inch thick.

Filling

  • Brush the dough with the softened butter. In a bowl, mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together. Sprinkle on top of the dough. Cover the dough completely with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Starting with the long end, begin rolling the dough. Keep the roll as tight as possible. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch slices. Placed the sliced rolls into a well-greased 13×9 inch pan, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes. This is the 2nd rise. They will almost double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Icing

  • While the rolls are baking, mix the icing. Beat the cream cheese and butter together. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk. Beat on low until light and creamy. Add more milk if needed to make a slightly pourable icing. Allow rolls to cool slightly before adding the icing. Spread the icing generously on top of the rolls. I store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

21 Comments

  1. I haven’t tried these yet, but I bet they can rival Cinnabon any day. Just the recipe sounds mouth watering

  2. I hope to try these soon. I have never made cinnamon rolls from scratch, but these sound delicious and I am always on the lookout for nut free desserts!

  3. My husband’s family always made cinnamon rolls for special occasions. They’d prep the night before and bake in the morning. So when we got married I had to learn to do cinnamon rolls, as they are his favorite. This recipe looks even better than the ones I have tried, so I will put it on my list for our next celebration. Thanks for sharing!

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