Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, fluffy yeasted cinnamon rolls with a buttery brown sugar swirl and cream cheese frosting, made with instant yeast.

Makes
12 rolls
Prep
35 min
Cook
25 min
Total
3 hr
Oven
350°F175°C
Photo: Cinnamon Rolls
Photo of cinnamon rolls (not this exact recipe) by Pannet, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Ingredients

Rolls
Units

For the dough

For the filling

For the frosting

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking pan23×33 cm baking pan
  • Stand mixer with dough hook, or a big bowl and some elbow grease

Instructions

  1. In the mixer bowl, stir the warm milk, yeast and sugar together. Add the eggs and softened butter, then the flour and salt. Knead with the dough hook on medium-low until smooth and slightly tacky, 6–8 minutes.

  2. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise somewhere warm until doubled, 1 hour.

  3. Grease the baking pan. Roll the dough on a floured counter into a 16×12-inch rectangle. Spread the soft butter over it, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon.Grease the baking pan. Roll the dough on a floured counter into a 41×30 cm rectangle. Spread the soft butter over it, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon.

  4. Roll it up tightly from a long side and pinch the seam closed. Cut into 12 even rolls with a sharp knife or dental floss and set them cut side up in the pan.

  5. Cover and let rise until puffy and touching, 30–45 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350°F.Cover and let rise until puffy and touching, 30–45 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 175°C.

  6. Bake until golden and the center rolls read 190°F, 22–26 minutes. Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, and spread it over the warm rolls.Bake until golden and the center rolls read 88°C, 22–26 minutes. Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, and spread it over the warm rolls.

Notes

  • Overnight: after shaping, cover the pan and refrigerate for up to 16 hours. Let the rolls sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before baking.
  • Warm milk should feel like a warm bath. Too hot and it kills the yeast.

My notes

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Nutrition estimate

Calories
435
Protein
7 g
Carbs
61 g
Fat
19 g

Per roll, estimated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed amounts. Optional ingredients and to-taste seasoning are not included, and actual values vary by brand. How we estimate

An original recipe written for CookSimple. Illustration: original artwork for CookSimple. Added September 25, 2026.