Soft and Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft and Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup milk, warm (105-110°F)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup warm milk, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Add 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter to the yeast mixture.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turning it once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
⏱️ 90 min
- 7
Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a clean surface.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 12x18 inches.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter. Mix until well combined. For extra gooey rolls, you can double the filling (2 cups brown sugar, 4 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 cup melted unsalted butter). If doubling, spread 1/4 of the doubled filling mixture on the bottom of a greased baking pan first, then use the remaining portion for filling the rolls.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Spread the prepared filling mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough rectangle, leaving a small border on one of the long edges.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Starting from the long edge opposite the clean border, tightly roll the dough into a log.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Trim off the uneven ends of the log. Using dental floss or a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal pieces.
⏱️ 3 min
- 13
Arrange the cut rolls in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place for another 30-45 minutes, or until puffy.
⏱️ 45 min
- 14
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 375
- 15
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top and cooked through.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 375
- 16
While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together 4 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
⏱️ 3 min
- 17
Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons milk to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
⏱️ 2 min
- 18
Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, immediately spread the prepared cream cheese frosting generously over the warm rolls. Serve warm.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Soft and Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
For the Dough
- 1 cup milk, warm (105-110°F)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup warm milk, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Add 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter to the yeast mixture.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turning it once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
⏱️ 90 min - 7
Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a clean surface.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 12x18 inches.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter. Mix until well combined. For extra gooey rolls, you can double the filling (2 cups brown sugar, 4 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 cup melted unsalted butter). If doubling, spread 1/4 of the doubled filling mixture on the bottom of a greased baking pan first, then use the remaining portion for filling the rolls.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Spread the prepared filling mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough rectangle, leaving a small border on one of the long edges.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Starting from the long edge opposite the clean border, tightly roll the dough into a log.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Trim off the uneven ends of the log. Using dental floss or a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal pieces.
⏱️ 3 min - 13
Arrange the cut rolls in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place for another 30-45 minutes, or until puffy.
⏱️ 45 min - 14
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 375 - 15
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top and cooked through.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 375 - 16
While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together 4 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
⏱️ 3 min - 17
Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons milk to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
⏱️ 2 min - 18
Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, immediately spread the prepared cream cheese frosting generously over the warm rolls. Serve warm.
⏱️ 1 min