Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 56 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 21 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warmed to 110°F (43°C); 2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten; 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt; 4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 2 tbsp (15 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the bowl and pan; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, very soft, spreadable; ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 tbsp (14 g) ground cinnamon; 4 oz (113 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk, plus up to 1 more tbsp if needed to thin

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Pillowy, buttery rolls swirled with brown sugar and plenty of cinnamon, baked until golden and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting that melts into every layer. Made with a simple enriched dough and one easy rise before shaping.

Prep: 56 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 1 hr 55 min
Total: 3 hr 16 min
Makes: 12 large rolls (one 9×13-inch pan)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dough
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warmed to 110°F (43°C)
2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt
4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 tbsp (15 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the bowl and pan
For the filling
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, very soft, spreadable
¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp (14 g) ground cinnamon
For the frosting
4 oz (113 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk, plus up to 1 more tbsp if needed to thin

Equipment (8)

Stand mixer with dough hook (or large bowl and wooden spoon)
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
Large bowl for rising
Rolling pin
Unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife
Instant-read thermometer
Aluminum foil
Electric hand mixer or whisk for frosting

Steps

Before you start

Set out the eggs, cream cheese, filling butter and frosting butter 1 hour ahead so they are at room temperature. The filling butter should be spreadable like mayonnaise.
Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, or weigh it. Scooping packs in extra flour and makes dry, dense rolls.
Plan on about 3¼ hours from start to finish. Most of that is rising time.
Heat the milk to 110°F (43°C), which feels comfortably warm, not hot. Milk over 130°F (54°C) can kill the yeast.

1
Wake up the yeast
- Pour the 110°F (43°C) milk into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Stir in the instant yeast and granulated sugar.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface looks creamy and slightly foamy with small bubbles.
Tip: If nothing foams after 10 minutes, the yeast is likely old or the milk was too hot or cold. Start over with fresh yeast.
2
Mix the dough
- Add the cooled melted butter, beaten eggs and salt to the milk mixture and whisk briefly.
- Fit the mixer with the dough hook.
- Add the 4 cups (480 g) flour and mix on low speed for about 1 minute, until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
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Ready when: The dough is shaggy and no dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Make sure the melted butter is only warm. Hot butter will scramble the eggs and harm the yeast.
3
Knead until smooth
- Knead on medium-low speed for 8 minutes (or by hand on a lightly floured counter for 10 minutes).
- The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stay slightly tacky.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth and elastic, and it springs back slowly when you poke it. It sticks a little to a clean finger but does not leave much residue.
Tip: Resist adding more than 1–2 tablespoons of extra flour. A slightly sticky dough gives the softest rolls.
4
First rise
- Use the 1 tablespoon (14 g) softened butter to grease a large bowl, reserving a little for the pan.
- Shape the dough into a ball and turn it in the bowl to coat.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Let it rise in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 60 to 75 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled, and a floured finger pressed in 1 inch leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, set the bowl in the oven with only the light on.
5
Mix the filling
- While the dough rises, stir the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl until evenly mixed with no brown sugar clumps.
- Check that the 6 tablespoons (85 g) filling butter is very soft.
- Grease the 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan with the reserved butter.
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Ready when: The cinnamon sugar looks like uniform tan-brown sand.
6
Roll out and fill
- Turn the risen dough onto a surface dusted with the 2 tablespoons (15 g) flour.
- Gently press out the air.
- Roll it into a 16×12-inch (40×30 cm) rectangle with a long side facing you, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Spread the soft butter over the dough all the way to the edges, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter.
- Leave a ½-inch (1 cm) bare strip along the far long edge.
- Press the sugar gently into the butter.
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Ready when: The rectangle is an even ¼ inch thick, with a fully coated surface and a clean border at the far edge.
Tip: If the dough springs back while rolling, cover it and rest it for 5 minutes, then keep rolling.
7
Roll up and cut
- Starting at the long edge nearest you, roll the dough up snugly into a 16-inch (40 cm) log.
- Pinch the seam closed against the log and turn the log seam-side down.
- Slide a piece of unflavored dental floss under the log, cross the ends over the top and pull to cut.
- Cut 12 slices, each about 1⅓ inches (3.3 cm) wide.
- A sharp serrated knife works if you use a light sawing motion.
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Ready when: You have 12 rolls of about the same size with visible spiral layers.
Tip: Floss cuts cleanly without squashing the swirl. Mark the log lightly with a knife first to space the cuts evenly.
8
Second riseOven 350°F / 175°C
- Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the greased pan in 3 rows of 4.
- Cover loosely and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
- After about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center.
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Ready when: The rolls look puffy, touch each other, and a gentle poke leaves a dent that springs back slowly.
Tip: Do not let the rolls overproof. If they begin to look slack or smell strongly of alcohol, bake right away.
9
Bake the rollsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake in the center of the 350°F (175°C) oven for 22 to 25 minutes.
- If the tops brown too fast by minute 18, tent the pan loosely with foil.
- Take the rolls out when the tops are golden brown and the center roll reads 190°F (88°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: The tops are deep golden, the rolls feel set when pressed, and the center roll reads 190°F (88°C).
Tip: The center rolls bake last. Always check one from the middle of the pan, not the edge.
10
Beat the frosting
- Once the rolls are out of the oven, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk.
- Beat on low until combined, then on medium for 1 minute until fluffy.
- Add up to 1 more tablespoon milk if the frosting is too thick to spread.
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Ready when: The frosting is smooth, thick and spreadable, with no lumps of cream cheese.
Tip: Cold cream cheese makes lumpy frosting. If lumpy, microwave the bowl for 5 seconds and beat again.
11
Cool slightly and frost
- Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Spread the frosting over the warm rolls in thick swoops, so it softens into the layers without melting away.
- Serve warm.
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Ready when: The pan is warm but not hot, and the frosting softens on contact without turning into a liquid glaze.
Tip: Frosting rolls straight from the oven makes the frosting run off and disappear. Waiting gives a creamy topping.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the flour if you can. It is the most common cause of dry, tight rolls.
Cutting with floss keeps the spiral round. A dull knife flattens the rolls.
Check the center roll with a thermometer. 190°F (88°C) means the middle is baked through and not doughy.
For extra gooey rolls, pour 3 tablespoons of heavy cream over the risen rolls just before baking.

Make ahead

"Overnight option: after cutting and arranging the rolls in the pan (step 7), cover tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours. Next day, let the pan sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes until puffy, then bake as directed. The frosting can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Let it soften at room temperature for 30 minutes and beat briefly before spreading."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: store frosted rolls loosely covered for up to 1 day. Refrigerator: keep covered for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze unfrosted baked rolls, wrapped well, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, microwave a roll for 15 to 20 seconds, or warm covered with foil at 300°F (150°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, then frost."

Substitutions

instant yeast → active dry yeast. Use the same amount. Let it foam in the warm milk for 10 minutes in step 1 and expect the rises to take 15 minutes longer.
whole milk → 2% milk or unsweetened plain oat milk. Rolls will be slightly less rich but still soft. Skip skim milk, which makes a drier crumb.
light brown sugar → dark brown sugar. Gives a deeper molasses flavor and a gooier center. Use the same amount.
all-purpose flour → bread flour. Makes a chewier, taller roll. Use the same weight (480 g) and add 1 to 2 tbsp extra milk if the dough feels stiff.