Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

There’s nothing quite like old-fashioned cinnamon rolls—soft, gooey, and packed with buttery cinnamon-sugar goodness. This homemade cinnamon roll recipe is even better than Cinnabon (yes, I did a side-by-side taste test to make sure!). Once you’ve made them, you’ll see just how simple the process is—and you can adjust the timing based on your schedule. Want to prep ahead? Go for the overnight rise in the fridge. No time to wait? Let the dough rise at room temperature and bake them the same day. Either way, you’ll be rewarded with irresistibly soft, fluffy rolls smothered in cream cheese frosting.

Cinnamon roll dough is an enriched dough, like challah or brioche, made with butter and eggs. This gives it a soft, slightly tacky texture, but don’t worry—it’s easy to work with and makes the most delicious cinnamon rolls ever.

What You’ll Need To Make Cinnamon Rolls

• All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of the dough, providing structure and a soft, tender crumb.
• Cornstarch: Adds lightness to the dough, making the rolls extra fluffy.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the dough and feeds the yeast for a perfect rise.
• Instant Yeast: Leavens the dough quickly, helping it achieve a light, airy texture. Regular active dry yeast can be used as well, but it will take longer to rise.
• Whole Milk: Adds richness and moisture to the dough for a soft, pillowy texture.
• Eggs and Egg Yolk: Enrich the dough with fat and protein, ensuring tender, rich rolls.
• Butter: Used in the dough for flavor and softness, in the filling to help the sugar and cinnamon adhere, and in the frosting to create a smooth, rich topping when blended with the cream cheese.
• Light Brown Sugar: Melts into a gooey, caramel-like filling with a hint of molasses. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
• Ground Cinnamon: Provides warmth and spice for the signature cinnamon roll flavor.
• Cream Cheese: The base of the frosting, adding tanginess and a creamy texture.
• Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the frosting without grittiness.
• Milk: Moistens the dough and thins the frosting to the perfect spreadable consistency.
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Make the Dough: In the bowl of your electric mixer with the dough hook, combine the flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt. Give it a quick stir with a rubber spatula or spoon to mix everything together.

With the mixer running on low, slowly add the milk, whole eggs, and egg yolk, mixing until the dough starts to come together in a shaggy texture. Then, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing until it’s fully incorporated. The dough will be soft and sticky—don’t worry, that’s exactly how it should be!

Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom. Again, if the dough feels tacky, that’s perfectly normal—just what you want!

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth ball. Grease a large bowl with nonstick spray, place the dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.

Make the Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rough rectangle, sprinkling lightly with flour as needed. Roll it out into a 12-inch-tall by 22-inch-wide rectangle, adding more flour as necessary.

Spread the softened butter evenly over the entire surface, right to the edges. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon filling evenly over the top, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges.

Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder, pinching the seam to seal. Gently shape the cylinder with your hands to even it out and press the sides in so it’s uniform in width. Slice the cylinder into 12 rolls.

Transfer the rolls to the prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Alternatively, if you plan to bake the rolls the next day, put them in the fridge; let them sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and position the rack in the middle. Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden. If you have an instant-read thermometer, check the internal temperature—it should be between 190°F and 200°F. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Make the Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and milk, and whisk until creamy. If the icing is too thick, add a little more milk to reach your desired consistency. Spread the frosting over the rolls.

Cinnamon rolls are best served warm, but you can reheat them later. Microwave an iced roll on a plate for 10 to 20 seconds, or reheat in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes on a baking sheet until warmed through.

Want to freeze cinnamon rolls? The unbaked rolls can be frozen before the second rise for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, thaw them overnight in the fridge, let them rise for an hour at room temperature, and bake as usual. You can also freeze the baked rolls (without the icing). When you’re ready to serve, thaw at room temperature, then warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Frost and serve warm.