Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and pillowy and filled with cinnamon sugar, these are the best homemade Cinnamon Rolls! Nothing fancy, these are sweet and gooey and the perfect breakfast treat.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Rising Time 2 30

Total Time 3 15

Servings servings

Calories 405kcal

Author Deborah Harroun

Ingredients

Rolls:

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter cut into pieces
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins optional

Frosting:

4 tablespoons butter slightly melted
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water. Set aside until the yeast is bubbling.
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1/4 cup warm water
Place the milk in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Heat until scalded - it should bubble around the edges, and a skin may form on top, but do not let it boil. It should be just before the point of boiling.
1 cup milk
Pour the scalded milk into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if making by hand). Add the sugar, butter, egg and salt. Mix on low until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm.
1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt
Add the yeast mixture and mix to combine.
Add 2 cups of the flour and mix. Continue to add flour until the dough comes together. It may still be a little sticky - it will mostly pull from the sides of the bowl, but will still stick to the bottom. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium low for about 3-4 minutes, adding more flour if needed.
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Coat a large bowl with oil and add the dough. Cover with a towel or with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Once the dough is risen, punch it down and pour out onto a surface that has been dusted with flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches by 10 inches.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the outside. Sprinkle on the raisins, if using.
1/2 cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup raisins
Roll the dough up on the long side.
Cut the uneven edges on each side of the log of dough with a serrated knife. Cut the remaining dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Place the dough in 3 rows of 4 in the prepared baking dish. Press them down slightly to make them all even.
Cover the dish and let rise until the doubled, about 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Once the rolls have risen, bake until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
While the rolls are baking, make the icing.
Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt until mostly melted, but not melted all the way. You will still have chunks of butter, but some will be liquified. Add the milk and the vanilla. Start adding in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until you reach a consistency that is thin enough to drizzle but thick enough that it drips from the whisk. Whisk until smooth.
4 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
When the rolls are done baking, remove from the oven. Take about 1/3 of the icing and drizzle or spread over the top of the hot rolls. This will melt into the rolls.
Once the rolls have cooled for about 20 minutes, spread the remaining icing over the top of the rolls.*

Notes

*This makes a decent amount of icing, so if you prefer less icing, I like to add as much as we like to the top and keep the rest to the side so those who want more icing can add it onto their individual cinnamon rolls.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition