Published November 15, 2023.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Cinnamon roll recipe is topped with homemade cream cheese frosting for the best breakfast in town. These are so delicious you’ll want to make and eat them daily.
Breakfast is my family’s favorite meal of the day, but it can get tough trying to think of new recipes all the time. If you’re the same and want more great breakfast ideas, check out my Italian Frittata recipe or my Buttermilk Pancakes.
Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are a sweet yeast bun stuffed and rolled with sugar, butter, and cinnamon that are then baked to golden brown. Once removed from the oven, they are slathered with frosting for a sweet breakfast or brunch dish. This dish has many variations, including adding nuts, icing, and different sugars.
Cinnamon rolls are derived from cinnamon buns, which have existed since the 17th century. However, many Nordic countries claim they invented the sweet treat. It was not popularized in America until the mid-1950s when Pillsbury packaged and sold them.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. You can use bread flour. Just decrease the amount of milk by 5%.
- Sugar – You will need both granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Substitute the light brown sugar for dark,
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content and not a butter company.
- Milk – I used whole milk in this recipe. You can substitute with 1%, 2%, or skim milk.
- Yeast – You can use active, instant, or baker’s yeast. If using instant yeast, there is no need to activate it with the warm milk.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon is used in the rolls to enhance the flavor.
- Cream Cheese – A used full-fat cream cheese for the frosting. Substitute with fat-free cream cheese.
- Vanilla – Any good vanilla extract will work.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls
Place the sugar, warm milk, and yeast in a standing mixer bowl, whisk it, and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes or until it begins to foam. There will be a raft at the top.
Add the flour, remaining sugar, and 1/2 stick of melted butter and mix with the hook attachment until combined at medium speed.
Add 1 egg at a time until combined, then mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes.
Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place until it has doubled in size. If you plan on making the next day, chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Roll out the dough on a clean surface lightly dusted with flour until the dough is roughly 18”x 24” inches in size.
Evenly drizzle on 1 stick of melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, covering all surface areas.
Roll the dough from back to front.
Slice them into 2-inch wide slices.
Place them in a 13” x 9” casserole dish, cut side up about 1 inch apart from each other, wrap them in plastic, and let them sit for another hour or until they’ve doubled in size.’, wrap them in plastic, and let them sit for another hour or until they’ve doubled in size.
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack at 375° or until they are browned on the top and cooked in the center. Remove the cinnamon rolls and let them cool slightly.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, whip together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and whole milk in a standing mixer using the whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy.
Pour the icing all over the top and serve warm.
How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
To make overnight cinnamon rolls, place them covered as soon as the dough is formed in the refrigerator until the next morning or the day you are ready to make them. The rising process that will take place from the yeast happens after you roll them up, cut them, and let them sit wrapped in plastic for about an hour in a warm, dark place.
This overnight method eliminates the double rise for a traditional cinnamon roll recipe, where you rise before rolling out the dough.
You can let the dough set out at room temperature to rise overnight. However, I want to caution that the dough may start to sour up from some light fermentation that may happen overnight.
The flavor won’t be incredibly noticeable, but you may get a spark.That said, your dough will rise to at least 3 times the original size.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make these muffins up to 1 day before.
How to Store:The cinnamon rolls can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days.They can also be frozen and covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before cooking and serving.
How to Reheat: Add your desired portion to a casserole dish or pan, cover it, and heat it in the oven at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until hot.
Chef Notes + Tips
- I like the milk to be on the hotter side, 115°, before adding it to the bowl of the stand mixer because the bowl is cold and will drop the milk temperature to the perfect degrees.
- If chilling the dough overnight, go right into rolling out the dough the next day.
- Brush the melted butter with a pastry brush to cover the dough completely.
- Unless you use a starter, there is no reason to let it sit at room temperature overnight.
- You can take the cinnamon rolls straight from the freezer and place them in the oven, covered in foil, at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. I would advise not to ice them with frosting before freezing them because the sugar content in the icing could cause them to caramelize a bit while in the oven.
My Favorite Breakfast Recipes
- Huevos Rancheros
- Homemade Brioche
- Chilaquiles
- Avocado Toast Recipes
- Gravlax Recipe
Video
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Cinnamon Roll Recipe
5 from 42 votes
This easy-to-prepare Cinnamon roll recipe is topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting for the best breakfast in town.
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
rising time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of warm whole milk 115°
- 1 tablespoon active yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 stick melted unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Icing:
- 1 stick softened unsalted butter
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
Place 1 tablespoon of the sugar, warm milk, and yeast in a standing mixer bowl, whisk it, and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes or until it begins to foam. There will be a raft at the top.
Next, add the flour, remaining sugar, and 1/2 stick of melted butter and mix with the hook attachment until combined at medium speed.
Add 1 egg until combined, then mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not add the next egg until the one before is absorbed into the dough.
Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place until it has doubled in size. If you plan on making the next day, chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Roll out the dough on a clean surface lightly dusted with flour until the dough is roughly 18”x 24” inches in size.
Evenly drizzle on 1 stick of melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, covering all surface areas.
Roll the dough from back to front and slice it into 2-inch wide slices.
Place them in a 13” x 9” casserole dish, cut side up about 1 inch apart from each other, wrap them in plastic, and let them sit for another hour or until they’ve doubled in size.
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25 to 30 minutes at 375° or until they are browned on the top and cooked in the center.
Remove the cinnamon rolls and let them cool slightly.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, whip together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and whole milk in a standing mixer using the whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy.
Once the cinnamon rolls are done pour the icing all over the top and serve warm
Notes
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make these muffins up to 1 day before.
How to Store:The cinnamon rolls can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days.They can also be frozen and covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before cooking and serving.
How to Reheat: Add your desired portion to a casserole dish or pan, cover it, and heat it in the oven at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until hot.
I like the milk to be on the hotter side, 115°, before adding it to the bowl of the stand mixer because the bowl is cold and will drop the milk temperature to the perfect degrees.
If chilling the dough overnight, go right into rolling out the dough the next day.
Brush the melted butter with a pastry brush to cover the dough thoroughly.
Unless you use a starter, there is no reason to let it sit at room temperature overnight.
You can take the cinnamon rolls straight from the freezer and place them in the oven, covered in foil, at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. I would advise not to ice them with frosting before freezing them because the sugar content in the icing could cause them to caramelize a bit while in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 447kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 7gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 89mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 554IUCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: French
Author: Chef Billy Parisi
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73 comments
- Amber
I have loved making these cinnamon rolls. They are so delicious. They aren’t too sweet or over powering. Everyone I have made them for has devoured them. I am so thankful for this recipe as it is something that is perfect for holidays or for a brunch. the videos that are posted are the best to give you a visual of what he is doing, his technique and as a visual learner, I don’t go anywhere but to this website to show me what to do.
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- Jojo
Yet another family favourite. So easy to make. I have to double the recipe if I want them to last a couple of days.
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nice!
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- Anna Mockler
I made these rolls exactly as written- so good and very easy- this recipe now replaces one I’ve used for 30 years 🥰
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- Ebony Davis
Since I started making these I have never bought store or mall. These are absolutely the best cinnamon rolls on the planet, hands down. Super easy. I’ve done both the overnight and same day. They are equally amazing!!!
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- Mary
Delicious! Made these for Thanks Giving morning & my grandkids loved them!
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- Crawford
This recipe beats my favorite recipe for cinnamon buns, I make them using my bread maker
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- Jeanine Williams
Delicious ❤️❤️
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- Sandy Mendenhall
I’m 76 young and I’ve been trying cinnamon rolls and never found any that is as these and as tasty. These will be made more often, my husband thanks you now that he’ll get them more often.
Also I have an 8 size instant pot and a glass bowls fits perfectly that use for proofing and it raises perfectly on yogurt setting.
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- Marie Grobler
Perfect! The best! My family and friends loved it!
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- Cathy O.
I am neither a good cook or baker but I love, love cinnamon rolls. I ran across this video and recipe and thought I’d give it a try even though it had yeast as an ingredient. Me – baking with yeast? Haha! I followed the recipe and the rolls were awesome. This had to be a qwirk. Not to push my luck but I thought I’d try making them again and I did! The results were…..delicious… I give myself an A+ and Chef Parisi an AAA+++. This experiment turned out so well, I’m going to try another Parisi recipe, maybe for a dinner!
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- Kathy Dunn
These cinnamon rolls are ‘da’ bomb!’ A Christmas morning necessity at our house. Last year I decided to try. OMG!!
So delicious and everyone expects these on Christmas morning!
Def 5 stars!!- Reply
- Anne Marie Kline
I got up at 2am on Christmas morning to make these for my family. As I was taking them out of the oven, everyone woke up and came down for breakfast. They were raving about them! The whole house smelled glorious.Thanks for making me a rockstar! I also baked bacon on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in the oven at the same time as the rolls were baking. Thank you for the recipe. My husband bought me a KitchenAide mixer a few years ago and this was the first time I used it and used the dough hook. He was happy that I finally used the machine…I had to get out the instruction booklet to figure out how to even turn it on!
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- Vanessa Munoz
Thank you so much Chef Parisi!
I wish I could send you a picture of these! These were a hit! Everyone loved them. 😊
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- Katie
Chef Billy, I’ve made this recipe a hundred times and it’s always perfect! I popped them in the freezer after rolling and skipped the second rise. They went directly to the oven for about 55 mins. Hope this tip helps the holiday preppers!
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- Alene Johnson
This cinnamon roll recipe is wonderful! Easy and the rolls taste so good. I don’t have a big mixer, so I just mixed the dough with my hands…..still worked great! Billy makes the recipe easy to understand and gives great tips. I will definitely be using this recipe again!
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love it!
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- Marjorie Stradinger
Can you tell us the stages that can be refrigerated? Like can they be made up to baking and proofed overnight in fridge?
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All that information is in the post 😉
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- Melanee Lyn Collins-Metzler
I’ve a Q… instead of placing them into a pan with sides touching, can I place them individually into parchment lined large muffin tins?
Looking forward to making these!!
Loyal follower for a couple yrs now.- Reply
I’ve never tested it, so I’m not 100% sure. Give it a shot.
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- Susana
Delicious! Gracias! Gracias!
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- Chef Billy Parisi
thank you!
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- Daniel MISTELE
Perfect Cinnamon rolls! I pretty much follow the recipe as is. I did add a little salt to the sugar cinnamon filling as well as the topping but otherwise it’s a perfect recipe.
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- Chef Billy Parisi
Thank you for trying this!
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- Jane Kern
Why not run the bowl with hot water? Swish it around. Viola it is a warm bowl
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if you want sure.
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- Brenda Gunn
Best cinnamon rolls ever! And the crowd I fed agreed. I used fresh, new Bob’s Red Mill yeast and the raft developed quickly. I wouldn’t change a thing (except I weirdly like raisins but I was completely outvoted.) Question, though – How can I get the ends of the rolls to stay together?
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what do you mean stay together?
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- Linda Brinkerhoff-Parker
I’ve made these 3 times – delicious!
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appreciate you trying it
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- Barbara
Yeast dough is very intimidating for me but I thought I’d give them a try and they turned out amazing. I have yet to find a Chef Billy Parisi recipe I didn’t like.
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thanks for giving it a shot!!
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- Melody Harvey
This has replaced my classic cinnamon roll recipe! Chef Parisi’s proportions seem to be just right. Having made these several times, even at high elevation, they have stood the test of turning out great every time. THAT is a recipe that is cherished. Thanks Chef Parisi!
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- Bonnie Mosher
Started these, last night, and made them, this morning. The dough was light and fluffy with a wonderful blend of sweet, buttery cinnamon in every bite. The icing is great-not to sweet and is the perfect compliment with a rich cup of coffee. Yum!!
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- Lisa
Thanks for this recipe, Chef! I didn’t do the over night method, instead after kneading I let the dough rest for about 20 minutes, formed and cut them and let them rest again for another 20 or so minutes. They came out perfect!! I made a butter cream icing that I planned use my homemade lemon extract but my instinct grabbed the vanilla extract 😊
Thanks again!!- Reply
so good!!
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- Elisa
Can’t wait to try this amazing recipe Chef…my question…how much rapid rise yeast should I use? Is it also one Tbsp? I prefer fast acting yeast but want to know exact amount for this recipe. Thanks for your amazing recipes!
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- Leanne
These are truly amazing and super easy! Thank you Chef for all of the tips and tricks. Not that it needed it, but I added a tsp of cardamom to the dough for extra flavor. I’ll definitely be making it again!
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fantastic
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- Pat Anderson
OMGosh!!! These are outstanding! And I could not believe how easy they were to make.! For years I have made a sweet breakfast roll. It is always a big hit. I was curious how these cinnamon buns would be. Gone is my sweet breakfast roll recipe! Oh yes… I did not have cream cheese, so I made a confectioners sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup ( dash) icing. Worked really well..
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Perfect!
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- Kevin Ruckersfeldt
Made these for Mother’s Day. She loved them!
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thanks for giving it a shot!!
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- Kathy Dunn
I made these 2 years ago on Christmas morning! Wow! It is now assumed they are on the menu!! Made them this past Christmas and will continue to make them. Easy, foolproof recipe! Thank you, Billy!
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Awesome!
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- Nana Baker
Made this recipe a dozen times. Perfect every time. Love that I make the dough one day and finish if the next. Breaks up the workload. Thanks for incredible recipes, tips and encouragement
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My pleasure!
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- Melissa Ridolfi
These are easy and out of this world
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- Christina
5+ stars! I have been using this recipe for a few years now – a total family favorite! The kids are always so excited when they find out I’m making this one! True love
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- SA
Delicious! But one question; the recipe does not include any salt. I added a scant teaspoon of salt. Was this lack of salt intentional?
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yes
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- Gail
Should I use bread flour, or does it matter?
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yes, it matters because the hydration percentage will change.
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- Dogmom
These were phenomenal! And I say that in spite of two huge mistakes: the first, I misread the ingredient list and added all the butter to the raw dough. There was no note stating the ingredients were divided. My mistake. The second…I sprinkled a purchased mix of cinnamon/sugar on the flat dough. I did not use the cup of brown sugar for the interior. I was drinking a mimosa Easter morning, my thought process was obviously affected. In spite of all this, they were amazing. Kudos to Chef Billy 🥂
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- Sharon
Great recipe. The light fermentation helps to reduce simple starch, which helps reduce the maillard reaction. It makes for a more flavorful, healthier result. Thanks, Chef Billy!
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- Tina
When you say, the cinnamon rolls can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days, do you mean rolled and unbaked? I’d like prepare them 2 days ahead and leave em in fridge. I want to make sure they’ll be fine sitting in my fridge for 2 days.
Thank you.- Reply
no, baked and finished. You can only leave uncooked over night.
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- Deanna Dickson
I made these this weekend. They were yumm-o-licous!! I made them into sticky buns by slathering the dish with butter, adding brown sugar and toasted pecans to the bottom of the dish and then a pat of butter under each roll. It worked well but I think next time I’ll make my caramel sauce and pour it over the toasted pecans. The oven I used is brand new and probably hotter than I’m used to. My rolls were done but my caramel was a little grainy. What do you think Chef Billy?
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- Cindy Bunnett
Instant, or active dry yeast? Does it matter?
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I most often use active. If you use instant, no need to wait for a raft to form at the beginning.
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- Sue klish
If you are using instant yeast do you use less yeast?
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the same, just no need for any time at the beginning for the yeast to form the raft.
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- Nina
So soft and delicious😋😋😋 Bobs red mill and your recipe, Perfect 👌
Thank you chef…
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- Ryan
Hey Billy –
Great recipe – its my second weekend making these!
Just wanted to bring to your attention that there are a couple inconsistencies between your video and your written steps/recipe:
1. In the video, the butter is melted when spread over the dough.
2. a. You direct a tsp. of vanilla in frosting.
b. You mention it in the written steps, but it is missing from the ingredients list.Just thought I’d let you know as I almost become very confused making it the first time after watching the video.
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Thanks, fixed!
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- Melissa
Can these be rolled and cut and then into fridge overnight?
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yes
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- Betsy
These cinnamon rolls are delicious! Great idea to put the casserole dish on the heating vent!! I sometimes turn the oven on low and leave the casserole dish on the stove top so it will absorb the radiant heat from the oven. The cinnamon rolls were delicious, but not being a cream cheese frosting fan, I made a light cinnamon glaze that was really tasty on these great rolls. Love these!
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- Rachael Yerkes
so dang yummy
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- Natalie
Mmmm…nothing better than a warm cinnamon roll. Love that there is plenty of icing on these! Soft, comforting, & so delicious!
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Totally agree, these are so good!
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- Karen
These came out awesome! Made a double batch for company visiting. Texture was beautiful. Crispy on the bottom , soft and pillowy on the inside. Delicious!
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