The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are loaded with a tremendous amount of butter, cinnamon, and sugar that oozes with goodness. A buttery cream cheese icing melts into all its crevices. To top it all off, add a dollop of cherry and/or apple filling. And there you have it - scrumpdillyicious!!

Mmmmmmm! There is aromatherapy happening in my kitchen right now. The scent of cinnamon and rising yeast is mingling with anticipation and is permeating my senses. I only have about 12 minutes before I grab a hot pad and pull a luscious pan of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls out of my oven. I’m amazed at how something so simple can bring such joy to my life! And of course, I add a cup of coffee to this picture and my day is set for greatness!

Cinnamon Rolls Start with My Homemade Bread Recipe

These cinnamon rolls start with my Homemade Bread Recipe. I’m not sure where it originated but I do remember both my mom and grandma making bread and cinnamon rolls with this recipe hundreds of times. They passed the tradition on to me and whether I'm forming the dough into crescent rolls, clover leaves, knots, or these cinnamon rolls, this recipe always turns out perfect. I have step by step instructions for the bread dough on this post if you want to jump over there and check it out.

Steps to Making the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Step #1 - Roll out the Bread Dough to a 24x12 inch Rectangle

Once the bread dough has risen one time, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface to a 24x12 inch rectangle. This is where it gets good! Spread softened butter all over the surface of the rolled out dough. Sprinkle tons of cinnamon and sugar, then let the fun begin.

Step #3 - Roll the Dough and Finish with Seam Side Down

Starting at the widest side (24-inch side) of the dough, tug the lip up over the cinnamon and sugar, then begin rolling, moving from left to right and tightening the log as you go. Finish with the seam side down. Gently squeeze back and forth across the dough in order to get a consistent thickness.

Step #4 -Slice the Rolled Dough with a Serrated Knife

With a serrated knife, slice the dough with a back and forth sawing motion. Wipe the knife with a moistened towel after each slice. Depending on how thick you like your cinnamon rolls, cut the slices either 1 ½ inches or 2 inches apart. I like mine extra thick so I always go 2 inches.

Step #5 - Let the Cinnamon Rolls Rise for One hour

Generously butter two 9x13-inch cake pans and place 6 rolls into each pan. Tuck the ends slightly under each cinnamon roll. Cover with a dishtowel and set in a warm place (the top of a heated oven works great). Let rise for one hour, until they are doubled in size.

Another option is to cover the pans with plastic wrap and set in the fridge overnight. The next morning, pull them out and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Step #6 - Bake in a 375°F Oven for 30-35 minutes

Once they have doubled in size, place the pans in a 375°F oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. You can test their doneness by using a fork and pull up at the center of one cinnamon roll to see if they are still doughy. If so, put them back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Step #7 - Making the Icing

The “icing on the cake” is definitely the buttery cream cheese icing that I whip up right before it comes out of the oven. And, by the way, it's so simple. Beat cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla and a little bit of whole milk until it is nice and fluffy.

Step #8 - The Best Step of All - Icing the Rolls

Now, here is where the "scrumpdillyicious" happens - smothering them with a cloud of white icing.  Let the baked cinnamon rolls sit for about 10 minutes before you ice them. And because they are still warm, some of the icing will seep down into the cracks and crevices making them "oh so tempting."

Add Some Color and Extra Flavor with Cherry and Apple Filling 

To change things up a bit from a basic cinnamon roll, I sometimes make a well in the icing and add a dollop of pie filling to the top of each cinnamon roll. It adds a nice bit of color, some extra texture, but mostly it brings in an additional layer of flavor. And I'm all about layers of flavor.

The best way to fully enjoy something right out of the oven is to incorporate all your senses. The smell. The taste. The texture. They all add up to a tantalizing experience. And what better experience than sinking your teeth into swirls of cinnamon and sugar puffed goodness that has been slathered with sweet creamy icing. Now that’s what I call pure delight.

The dinger on my oven just went off. I’m gonna add another “therapy” to my morning - “tastetherapy.”

If you love these Cinnamon Rolls, you will love my Homemade Bread Roll Recipe. 

Please consider following me on Pinterest - lingeralittle.

The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Print Recipe

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5 from 4 reviews

These cinnamon rolls start with a bread recipe that has been in my family for generations and it never fails. Add lots of butter, cinnamon, and sugar for the filling. A buttery cream cheese icing melts into the crevices. Top them with cherry and apple pie filling.

• Author: Kristy Murray
• Prep Time: 45 minutes (not including rise time)
• Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Yield: 18 Large Cinnamon Rolls 1x
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Bread Dough

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup shortening, heaping
• 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 packages Rapid Rise Yeast
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 cup warm Water
• 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
• Approximately 8 cups Flour, more for kneading
• 2 sticks Butter + 2 tablespoons for rising dough
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick of softened Butter
• 1 - 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 - 32 oz pkg Powdered Sugar
• 4-6 tablespoons Whole Milk
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Kosher Salt
• Cherry and/or Apple Pie Filling, optional

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Instructions

For Bread Dough

• In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, salt and boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 cup warm water (110-115°F). Stir until dissolved. Set in a warm place (a microwave works great) for at least 10 minutes until the yeast has risen and the foam is doubled in size.
• Add the beaten eggs and yeast mixture into the melted shortening mixture. Make sure the shortening mixture has cooled to room temperature. If it is too hot it can kill the yeast.
• Stir in 5 cups of flour. Continue to add the remaining flour one cup at a time. At this point, I use my hands to fully combine the ingredients. The texture of the dough should be somewhat sticky but firm enough to work with.
• Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. Continue adding flour to the surface as necessary when the dough becomes sticky again. You can tell by the feel of the dough when it is ready - it will start to feel dense and firm but not dry.
• Butter a large mixing bowl along with the ball of dough using the 2 tablespoons of butter. Cover with a dish towel and place in a warm area. A microwave works great or on top of a warm stove. Let rise for 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and on a floured surface roll out the dough to a rectangle of 24x12 inches.
• Spread the 3 sticks of softened butter onto the dough. Generously sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll from the 24-inch side and finish with the seam down. I gently squeeze back and forth across the dough in order the get consistent thickness.
• Slice the dough with a serrated knife in 2-inch sections (I like my cinnamon rolls thick). Makes 12 large cinnamon rolls. If you want to have more, cut the sections into 1 or 1 ½ inches.
• Place 6 rolls each on two generously buttered 9x13-inch cake pans. Cover with a dish towel and set in a warm area. Let rise for another hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake the cinnamon rolls until golden brown, for approximately 25-30 minutes depending on their thickness. While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting.
• Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven. Let sit for 10 minutes. While they are still warm, ice with the cream cheese icing.  Make a little well in the top of the icing and add your favorite pie filling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream together with a hand mixer the butter and cream cheese.
• Add ½ the powder sugar and continue mixing until combined. Add the remaining powder sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
• Continue beating and adding extra milk to the desired consistency. Beat until light and fluffy. This makes more than enough frosting for this batch of cinnamon rolls. You can freeze whatever icing is left over.

Notes

• Starting at the widest side (24-inch side) of the dough, tug the lip up over the cinnamon and sugar, then begin rolling, moving from left to right and tightening the log as you go. Finish with the seam side down. Gently squeeze back and forth across the dough in order to get a consistent thickness.
• With a serrated knife, slice the dough with a back and forth sawing motion. Wipe the knife with a moistened towel after each slice.
• A Make-Ahead Option: Cover the pan of cinnamon rolls that have not risen yet with plastic wrap and set in the fridge overnight. The next morning, pull them out and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Test their doneness by using a fork and pull up at the center of one cinnamon roll to see if they are still doughy or not. If so, put them back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
• Let the baked cinnamon rolls sit for about 10 minutes before you ice them. You want them to still be warm though so some of the icing can seep down into the crevices.
• To change things up a bit from a basic cinnamon roll, I make a well in the icing and add a dollop of pie filling to the top of each cinnamon roll.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Large Cinnamon Roll
• Calories: 719
• Sugar: 71 g
• Sodium: 378 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 125 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 58 mg