Softest, Fluffiest Cinnamon Rolls
Softest, Fluffiest Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup milk, warm
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 dash nutmeg, as needed
For the Caramel for Baking Dish
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 block cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 splashes vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
For Baking
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream, per roll
Instructions
- 1
In a measuring cup, combine the 3/4 cup warm milk, 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Stir gently and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is activated.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In a large bowl, add the 3 cups all purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 whisked eggs, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in the activated yeast mixture. Mix all ingredients with a spatula until a cohesive dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on the lowest setting for 8 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky.
⏱️ 8 min
- 4
Lightly flour a large bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Heat your oven to 175°F, then turn it off once it reaches temperature. Place the covered dough in the warm, turned-off oven and let it rise for 2 hours.
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 175
- 5
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. Mix until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
After the dough has risen, gently punch it down. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the prepared filling evenly over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a pizza cutter to cut the log into strips, aiming for thinner strips as the rolls will expand significantly. This should yield about 9 to 12 rolls.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Prepare the caramel for the baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup room temperature butter until the mixture is lighter in color and well combined.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Spread the caramel evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch ceramic baking dish. Arrange 8 of the cut cinnamon rolls in the dish, ensuring they are not too crowded. If you have extra rolls, place them in a smaller ceramic dish, adding more caramel to the bottom of that dish as well.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Cover the baking dish(es) with a damp cloth and let the rolls rest on your counter for another 30 minutes to rise again.
⏱️ 30 min
- 11
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have rested, pour 1 tablespoon of heavy cream over the top of each cinnamon roll in the baking dish(es).
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 12
Bake the cinnamon rolls in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 350
- 13
While the cinnamon rolls are baking or immediately after they come out of the oven, prepare the cream cheese icing. In a food processor, combine 1 block room temperature cream cheese, 1/3 cup room temperature butter, 2 splashes vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, and 2 tablespoons milk. Blend until the icing is smooth and has a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven and still hot, spread the prepared cream cheese icing generously over them. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Softest, Fluffiest Cinnamon Rolls
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup milk, warm
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 dash nutmeg, as needed
For the Caramel for Baking Dish
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 block cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 splashes vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
For Baking
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream, per roll
Instructions
- 1
In a measuring cup, combine the 3/4 cup warm milk, 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Stir gently and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is activated.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In a large bowl, add the 3 cups all purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 whisked eggs, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in the activated yeast mixture. Mix all ingredients with a spatula until a cohesive dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on the lowest setting for 8 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky.
⏱️ 8 min - 4
Lightly flour a large bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Heat your oven to 175°F, then turn it off once it reaches temperature. Place the covered dough in the warm, turned-off oven and let it rise for 2 hours.
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 175 - 5
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. Mix until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
After the dough has risen, gently punch it down. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the prepared filling evenly over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a pizza cutter to cut the log into strips, aiming for thinner strips as the rolls will expand significantly. This should yield about 9 to 12 rolls.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Prepare the caramel for the baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup room temperature butter until the mixture is lighter in color and well combined.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Spread the caramel evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch ceramic baking dish. Arrange 8 of the cut cinnamon rolls in the dish, ensuring they are not too crowded. If you have extra rolls, place them in a smaller ceramic dish, adding more caramel to the bottom of that dish as well.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Cover the baking dish(es) with a damp cloth and let the rolls rest on your counter for another 30 minutes to rise again.
⏱️ 30 min - 11
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have rested, pour 1 tablespoon of heavy cream over the top of each cinnamon roll in the baking dish(es).
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 12
Bake the cinnamon rolls in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 350 - 13
While the cinnamon rolls are baking or immediately after they come out of the oven, prepare the cream cheese icing. In a food processor, combine 1 block room temperature cream cheese, 1/3 cup room temperature butter, 2 splashes vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, and 2 tablespoons milk. Blend until the icing is smooth and has a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven and still hot, spread the prepared cream cheese icing generously over them. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 min