If you have company coming for the holidays and you are looking for something special to make for breakfast, this recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls is out of this world.
I’ve been using this same recipe for a couple of years now and I always get rave reviews when I serve them. If you’ve never made homemade cinnamon rolls before, don’t freak out. You can do this. Homemade cinnamon rolls are easier to make than you’d think.
Ingredients for the Dough
1/4-ounce package yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup scalded milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Ingredients for the Filling
1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan if not using a baking liner
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 chopped nuts or raisins {totally optional}
Ingredients for the Icing
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add in 2 cups of flour and mix {I use my hands} until nice and smooth. Add yeast mixture and then mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to work with. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for around 5 minutes. Place in a large bowl that’s been greased bowl with a we bit of vegetable oil then cover and let rise until doubled in size {usually about 1 hour}.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down it down and roll it out on to a floured surface. Ideally you want to shape the dough in to a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter all over dough.
Then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the buttered dough and then sprinkle a few nuts, or raisins if you like {we used pecans and raisins}. Next roll the cinnamon roll dough up into a tight log and seal the ends with a little melted butter. The cut into {12} 2 inch slices {I use unflavored floss to cut my dough}.
Place cinnamon rolls about 2 inches apart on a lined cookie sheet or a buttered pan. Let rise a second time until the dough has doubled {about 30-45 minutes} and then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until nice and brown.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, mix the butter, cream cheese powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Add warm water as needed. Spread over warm rolls.
Dig in!
Tammy says
I make cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving morning every year – but this year I didn’t because we were sick! Your recipe looks very similar to mine. I got mine from the book Miserly Moms.
I love my cinnamon rolls all smooshed together in the pan so the edges are soft. I like how you baked yours though, it makes them more of an individual treat.
Lisa says
These look absolutely divine! I know what I’m making for breakfast next weekend (if I can wait that long!) Thanks, Mavis!
Jessica says
So I saw this recipe on your blog a couple times this week and it’s been making me want cinnamon rolls badly. So I finally broke down and made these. Oh my gosh! Absolutely love them! The frosting is delicious as well. I usually do a glaze but I will use this recipe forever! Thank you 🙂
Cam says
Hi Mavis. Wanted to make these ahead and freeze. Would I freeze them before or after they rise the second time?
Mavis Butterfield says
Before.
Chessie B says
I completely forgot to let them rise after cutting them up and I popped them in the oven. Luckily they still turned out phenomenal. These are so big and awesome! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
OneHundredDollarsAMonth.com says
That’s awesome that they turned out perfect anyway!
Simone Maltais says
Made these last night, BIG hit!! It was an early father’s day treat for my step-dad and he loved them. He even had one without the icing, which is surprising because he has a huge sweet tooth! 🙂 Thanks for the great recipes.
Audrey says
Looks good! Doing the first rise now.
Do you roll it up ‘long ways’, or ‘short ways’ before cutting?
Mavis Butterfield says
Long ways.
Audrey says
You were right. Cinnamon bun baking fear has been conquered.
No more Pillsbury buns in a can with the texture of hockey pucks for me.
Wendy Wager says
Had my first bun on our trip to alaska and fell in love, living in Australia I have wanted a great recipe. I am going to make this tomorrow. I cant wait I dream of that first cinnamon bun LOL
Casey says
Thanks for this recipe, I made it twice last night. It was delicious. I’m assuming the photos of your dough are from a doubled batch? As that looks to be twice the size of your 15×9” rolled out dough size goal stated in your directions. The question I have is, is your filling ingredient measurements (1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. Cinnamon) supposed to be for a doubled batch perhaps?? I could not even get a whole stick of melted butter on the 15×9” dough without it running off the sides. I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before so maybe I’m missing something obvious?? Thanks if anyone has any help they could offer!