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Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (Soft, Fluffy, Copycat Style)

Close-up of soft, golden cinnamon buns baked together in a white dish, generously topped with white icing and cinnamon dust.
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Make bakery-style cinnamon rolls at home that are incredibly soft, fluffy, and gooey. This recipe uses a simple dough and produces results comparable to Cinnabon, complete with a rich cream cheese icing.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup whole milk, warm
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (for filling)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for filling)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (for icing)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
  • 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream (for icing)

Instructions

  1. Warm the milk until it is between 105°F and 115°F. Pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add the remaining granulated sugar, melted butter, and egg to the yeast mixture. Whisk to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly buttered bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  5. While the dough rises, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined into a spreadable paste.
  6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, about 12 by 18 inches.
  7. Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a small border on one long edge.
  8. Starting from the long edge opposite the border, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam closed.
  9. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal rolls.
  10. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise again in a warm spot for 30 minutes. This is your one rise technique for soft rolls.
  11. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
  12. While the rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese icing. Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Add the milk or cream, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach a thick, spreadable consistency.
  13. Remove the rolls from the oven. Immediately spread the cream cheese icing generously over the warm rolls. Serve warm.

Notes

  • For extra gooey rolls, slightly increase the amount of butter used in the filling mixture.
  • If you prefer a quicker method, you can skip the second rise and bake immediately after cutting, though the texture will be slightly less fluffy.
  • To achieve bakery-style softness, avoid over-baking; remove them when the tops are just set.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://yumdrizzle.com/best-homemade-cinnamon-buns-soft-fluffy-copycat/