Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls With Bread Dough

Baked and frosted cinnamon rolls in a round baking dish

5 from 14 votes

Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls With Bread Dough

The best homemade cinnamon rolls with bread dough is what you get with this recipe. They are easy to make, soft, tasty, and topped with delicious cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time45

Cook Time20

Rise12

Total Time13 5

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 622kcal

Author: Sabine Venier

Ingredients

Dough

3 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
¾ cup milk
2 large eggs
5 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling

⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Frosting

¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup cream cheese, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt (to taste)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, and eggs and knead on low speed until it comes together about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.
Knead the dough on low speed and gradually add the butter until it is completely incorporated. Once all of the butter is incorporated, increase the speed to high and knead for about 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth, releases from the sides of the bowl, and passes the windowpane test. It's a very soft, smooth, and silky dough that is slightly tacky to the touch. If you find that you need to knead a few minutes longer to pass the windowpane test, give the dough a short break for a few minutes to avoid overheating the dough.
Lightly spray a straight-sided container with oil and transfer the dough to the container; lightly oil the top of the dough as well. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes until it has risen by about 10%. Then put it in the refrigerator and let rest overnight, about 8-12 hours. It will at least double in this time.
Remove the dough from the container and place it on a work surface. Fold the edges over the middle, then turn the dough over (so that the seams are facing down) and shape the dough roughly into a round ball with your hands. Let rest for 15-20 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Also, lightly grease a 9-10" (23-26cm) round or square baking dish and set it aside as well.
Then lightly flour the work surface and the dough (use as little flour as possible - just enough so that the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin and the surface), flatten the dough a little with your fingers, and roll it out into a rectangle that is about 14x17" (36x43cm) big and 0.25" (0.6 cm) thick. Spread the butter on the rolled-out dough and sprinkle evenly with the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Press the sugar mixture into the butter.
Starting at one short side, roll up the dough tightly, cut into 8 equal-sized rolls, and place in the prepared baking pan. Let rise for 45-90 minutes until they have doubled in size.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake the rolls for about 20-22 minutes*. After 10-15 minutes, if necessary, cover loosely with aluminum foil to avoid heavy browning.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese and mix until smooth, creamy, and no lumps remain, about 1-2 minutes. Then, add the powdered sugar and mix until creamy and well combined. Add the vanilla and salt and stir to combine. The frosting is thick and creamy. If you prefer thinner glaze, you can add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk.
Remove the rolls from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then spoon the frosting on top of the warm rolls and spread evenly.
Serve immediately or store at room temperature for up to 2 days** or in the refrigerator for 4 days. Reheat leftovers before serving if desired.

Video

Notes

Cooking Time and Temperature

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-22 minutes, or until the center of the rolls reaches 190°F (88°C).

Taste & Texture

Soft, fluffy and buttery with gooey cinnamon-sugar layers and a rich, creamy cream cheese frosting.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Fridge: Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Microwave individual rolls for about 20-30 seconds until soft and warm.

Serving Recommendations

I think these homemade cinnamon rolls with bread dough are at their absolute best slightly warm, when the centers are still soft and gooey and the cream cheese frosting starts melting into all those cinnamon layers. Serve them with fresh fruit and coffee for breakfast, or add my Glazed Donuts in Air Fryer to the table if you're putting together a sweet weekend brunch everyone will want to linger over.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

All-purpose flour: You can use it instead of bread flour, but you'll likely need less because it doesn't absorb as much liquid.
Active dry yeast: Replace the instant yeast with 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast. Activate it in warm milk and sugar before making the dough.
Different sugars: I love dark brown sugar for that deep, rich filling, but muscovado, coconut sugar, or raw cane sugar can also be used.
Mini cinnamon rolls: Divide the dough in half, roll each portion into a 6×21-inch rectangle, and cut each log into 20 mini rolls. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 14-16 minutes.
Jumbo cinnamon buns: Roll the dough into a 7×17-inch rectangle and cut it into 4 large rolls. Bake for 25-30 minutes, loosely covering with foil if the tops brown too quickly.

Proper Storage Tips

Keep leftover frosted rolls in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
They can stay at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze unbaked rolls, shape and cut them first, freeze for 1 hour, then transfer them to freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before continuing with the recipe.
Baked and frosted rolls can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
I recommend warming refrigerated rolls briefly before serving. It softens the dough and makes the cinnamon filling gooey again.

Pro Tips

I always use as little extra flour as possible when rolling the dough. A slightly tacky dough gives you much softer cinnamon buns than a stiff, flour-heavy dough.
Let the dough tell you when it's ready rather than relying completely on the clock. Rising times change depending on room temperature.
I prefer the overnight method when I have time. Besides making breakfast easier, the long, cold rise gives the dough better flavor and texture.
If you want neat spirals, cut the log with one clean motion rather than sawing back and forth. A bench knife or unscented dental floss also works well.
Don't wait until the centers look completely dry before taking the rolls out of the oven. Checking for an internal temperature of 190°F (88°C) helps you avoid overbaking them.

Different flours can absorb water differently in different climates and environments. This means you may need to hydrate your dough more or less depending on the flour, humidity, temperature, and altitude. Please watch the video and step-by-step photos to see what the dough should look and feel like.

* Baking times may vary depending on different oven models and environments. Bake until the center is no longer sticky and doughy or has an internal temperature of 190°F (88°C).

** Depending on the climate and temperature in your environment, it may be better to store them in the fridge. If stored too warm, the frosting could spoil quickly.

Nutrition