Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Tender, pillowy cinnamon rolls with a buttery spiral filling and tangy cream cheese frosting. This recipe uses an enriched dough that rises overnight in the refrigerator, making it easy to bake fresh rolls in the morning. The rolls are soft and pull-apart perfect, with a balanced cinnamon-sugar filling and a frosting that's not too thick or sweet.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 9 hr 30 min
- Total
- 10 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 12 rolls
Steps
Before you start
- Soften the butter and cream cheese at room temperature (1–2 hours ahead, or overnight in the fridge)
- Use a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan; if using a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan, you may need two pans
- Have instant yeast and active dry yeast on hand (they can be used interchangeably in equal amounts)
- Read through the overnight chilling step—this dough benefits from a slow, cold rise
Mix the dough
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, and salt.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the warm milk (110°F / 43°C), softened butter, and egg.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with the dough hook on low speed (or by hand with a wooden spoon) until a shaggy dough forms, about 2–3 minutes.
- The dough should look rough and not fully combined yet.
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Ready when: Shaggy dough forms with no dry flour visible
Tip: The dough will be slightly sticky; this is normal and makes for tender rolls.
Knead the dough
- Continue kneading on medium speed (or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes) until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5–7 minutes total in the mixer.
- The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still feel slightly tacky to the touch.
- It should not be dry or stiff.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky; it springs back slowly when poked
Tip: Do not add extra flour—the dough will feel soft and slightly sticky, which is correct. This creates tender rolls.
First rise
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat all sides.
- Cover the bowl loosely with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise at room temperature (68–72°F / 20–22°C) until doubled in size, about 1.5–2 hours.
- You can also skip this step and let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight (see make-ahead note).
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Ready when: Dough is roughly twice the original size; a gentle poke leaves a slight indentation
Tip: For overnight rolls: skip this step and refrigerate the dough in the oiled bowl for 8–12 hours. Proceed directly to rolling the next morning.
Prepare the filling
- While the dough rises, combine the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Stir until the mixture is uniform and spreadable, with no lumps of brown sugar.
- Set aside until needed.
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Ready when: Cinnamon filling is evenly mixed and spreadable
Tip: If the brown sugar is lumpy, break it up with the back of a spoon or pulse everything together in a food processor for a smoother filling.
Shape the rolls
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface (about 15 inches / 38 cm of space).
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 16×12-inch (40×30 cm) rectangle, with the longer side parallel to the edge of your work surface.
- Spread the entire cinnamon-butter mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a thin ½-inch (1 cm) border on the top long edge (this helps the final roll seal).
- Starting from the bottom long edge, tightly roll the dough toward you into a log, pressing gently as you go.
- The finished log should be about 16 inches (40 cm) long.
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Ready when: Dough is evenly rolled into a tight spiral log; filling is distributed throughout
Tip: Roll snugly but not so tight that you seal in air pockets. A gentle, confident roll works better than a rushed one.
Cut the rolls
- Using a sharp serrated knife (or dental floss, which works great for cutting dough), cut the log into 12 equal pieces, each about 1.3 inches (3 cm) wide.
- Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat edges.
- Arrange the rolls cut-side up in a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan lined with parchment paper or lightly greased with non-stick spray.
- The rolls should fit snugly but not be compressed—they'll expand as they rise.
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Ready when: 12 even pieces are arranged in the baking pan with space to rise
Tip: If rolls are uneven in size, arrange the larger ones at the edges where they have more room to expand.
Second rise
- Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Let the rolls rise at room temperature until they nearly double in height and press against each other, about 1–2 hours.
- The dough should feel soft and puffy, and you'll see slight gaps between the rolls start to close.
- Alternatively, cover the pan and refrigerate for up to 12 hours, then let the rolls come to room temperature (about 1 hour) before baking.
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Ready when: Rolls are visibly puffy and nearly touching; they spring back slowly when gently poked
Tip: If you're baking in the morning, do a refrigerated overnight rise: this develops flavor and makes baking convenient.
Preheat and bakeOven 375°F / 190°C
- About 20 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Once the rolls have completed their second rise, place the baking pan in the preheated oven on the middle rack.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the rolls are light golden brown on top and the centers feel set (gently press one with a clean finger—it should spring back slowly, not feel liquid inside).
- The rolls will continue to bake slightly after removal.
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Ready when: Tops are light golden brown; a gently pressed roll springs back; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a middle roll reads 190–200°F (88–93°C)
Tip: If the tops brown too quickly (before 20 minutes), tent the pan with foil for the remaining time. Every oven is different, so start checking at 20 minutes.
Make the frosting
- While the rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, a handful at a time, beating on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud.
- Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for 1–2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
- It should look like thick, creamy frosting without lumps.
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Ready when: Frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy; no lumps of cream cheese or sugar remain
Tip: If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for 5 minutes. If it's too thick (lumpy), let the cream cheese and butter warm slightly and try again.
Cool and frost
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- This allows them to set just enough to stay together when moved but is still warm enough for the frosting to melt slightly into the cinnamon swirls.
- Spread or dollop the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls, working quickly and gently.
- You can frost them individually or cover the whole pan; the frosting will melt slightly into the crevices.
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Ready when: Rolls are warm but set enough to hold their shape; frosting is spread evenly and slightly melted into the rolls
Tip: Don't wait more than 5 minutes or the rolls will be too cool and the frosting won't adhere as nicely. Conversely, frosting them straight from the oven may cause the frosting to melt off the sides.
Serve
- Serve the rolls warm, straight from the pan or transferred to a serving platter.
- These are best enjoyed within a few hours of baking, while they're still tender and the frosting is at its creamiest.
- Use a thin spatula to remove rolls from the pan if needed, or simply tear them apart—they should pull away easily.
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Tip: Cinnamon rolls are best served warm. Reheat leftovers gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–15 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
Good to know
Tips
- For the softest rolls: use the overnight refrigerated rise. The slow, cold fermentation develops gluten gently and allows the dough to relax, resulting in tender, pull-apart rolls.
- Check yeast expiration: instant yeast loses potency over time. If your rolls rise very slowly, check the expiration date on the yeast package—expired yeast is a common cause of dense rolls.
- Don't skip the second rise: after the rolls are shaped and arranged, the second rise is crucial. This is when they become puffy and tender. A rushed second rise (less than 1 hour) will result in dense, slightly tough rolls.
- Invest in a small offset spatula or pastry spreader for even frosting application. This is a $3–5 tool that makes frosting smooth and professional-looking.
Make ahead
For overnight rolls: After shaping and cutting, arrange the rolls in the baking pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let the rolls come to room temperature at a warm kitchen counter for 45 minutes to 1 hour (they should look nearly doubled and puffy). Then preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake as directed. This method develops more complex flavor and is perfect for fresh-baked rolls at breakfast.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (loosely covered): up to 8 hours. Refrigerator (in an airtight container): up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven, loosely covered with foil, for 10–15 minutes until warmed through. Freezer (unbaked rolls in the pan, well-wrapped in plastic wrap): up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking. Freezer (baked rolls, in an airtight container): up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours or reheat directly from frozen in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 20–25 minutes, loosely covered.
Substitutions
- Whole milk, warmed to 110°F (43°C) → Half-and-half, whole milk substitute (oat, almond, or dairy-free), or water with 1 tbsp heavy cream. Whole milk creates the richest dough, but alternatives work. Water alone may result in slightly less tender rolls.
- Ground cinnamon → Ground cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg. Adjust the amount slightly if using a blend; cardamom and pumpkin pie spice are more potent. Omit other spices if using pumpkin pie spice to avoid over-spicing.
- Cream cheese, softened → Full-fat Greek yogurt (thickened with powdered sugar to spreading consistency) or mascarpone. Greek yogurt will be tangier and less rich; reduce the powdered sugar slightly. Mascarpone is richer and more neutral in flavor.
- Packed light brown sugar → Granulated sugar plus 1 tsp molasses, or white sugar alone. Granulated sugar alone will yield less complex flavor; molasses adds the brown sugar's molasses content. The rolls will be slightly drier without brown sugar's moisture.
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