Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

There is nothing better than the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls baking in the oven to fill the house with the most delicious aroma.

Since the bread recipes on the blog are steadily growing in number, I thought that it is only appropriate that we add a recipe for one of the most loved bread ever-known, Cinnamon Rolls.

While we have already the whole wheat version in the house, and the mini version ones, I can’t bare the thought of not sharing a recipe for ones with the classic white top-the ones topped with cream cheese icing.

So, here we are. Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese icing. Like a warm hug on a cold day or delightful treat when the craving hits.

Let’s go bake!

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls?

• To make the dough, add the warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and about a teaspoon of the sugar over the water. Let this mixture stand for 5 minutes, or until it turns foamy.
• Add the egg, milk, the remaining sugar, butter and salt. Stir until incorporated.  
• Add 3 and 1/2 cup of flour, one cup at a time, stirring well each addition. The dough will start together at this point.
• Now start to add one tablespoon at a time from the remaining flour, stirring well, just until the dough starts to gather in the center of the bowl. It is okay if there is some flour remaining. You only want a soft, shaggy dough that is not dry. You can use the remaining flour for kneading later. 
• Turn the dough on a floured board. Knead the dough using your palms, pushing the dough down and away from your lower body. Fold the dough inwards, then repeat the pushing motion. Then that’s kneading process itself- push, fold, repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic. During the early stage of kneading, you can dust your hands and the board with flour to help with the stickiness of the dough. Be careful not to over flour dough, your dough will turn from soft to stiff and dry. We don’t want that.
• Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Place it in a bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let this rise for 1 to 1/2 hours. or until the size is doubled.
• As you approach the end of the rising time, make the filling. Stir together the butter (really, soft butter. It helps to microwave it briefly to make it really soft.), the brown sugar and the cinnamon until well incorporated. 
• After rising, roll the dough into a 12 x 18 rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread the filling all over the dough. Now with the long edge of the rectangle close to you, start to roll the dough tightly into a log. Press down the seams to seal. 
• Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 16 portions, or 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Arrange the sliced portions into a 9×13 baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. Cover the pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let the buns rise for about an hour or until puffy and doubled in size. 
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the rolls for 22-25 minutes or until they are lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly and spread the cream cheese icing.

Hmmm. Don’t you just love the smell? Cinnamon rolls, my friends! Enjoy baking.

More Delicious Bread

• Honey Buns with Honey Cream Filling
• Sweet Beehive Buns
• Cinnamon Pull-Apart Milk Bread
• Yema Bread Rolls
• Red Mung Sesame Sweet Buns

Continue to Content

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 27 minutes

There is nothing better than the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls baking in the oven to fill the house with the most delicious aroma.

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Ingredients

For the Bread Dough

• 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 F)
• 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon 
• 1/3 cup very soft butter

Cream Cheese Icing

• half a block or 4 oz cream cheese, very soft
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2-3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Make the Dough

1. In a mixing bowl, add warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and about a teaspoon of the sugar. Let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes, or until foam forms on the surface.
2. Add the milk, egg, softened butter, the remaining sugar and salt. Stir everything well.
3. Add 3 and 1/2 cup of flour gradually, stirring after each addition. The dough will start to form now. Start to add some of the remaining flour, about a tablespoon at a time in between stirring, just until the dough gathers in the center of the bowl. You may not need the entire amount of flour. We only need to see the dough comes together into a shaggy mass, but we don't want it dry or overfloured.
4. Turn the dough over on a floured board. Start to knead the dough with your palms, using the weight of your lower body to push the dough down and away from you. Fold the dough inwards and repeat the pushing motion. Then fold again, then push. Repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic. You may add a bit of the remaining flour here, a little bit at a time, to the board and into your hands to help with the stickiness of the dough. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 and 1/2 hours.
5. As you approach the end of rising time, make the filling. Stir together the very soft butter*, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
6. After rising, roll the dough into a 12x18 rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread the cinnamon filling all over the dough. With the long edge of the rectangle close to you, start to roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seams to seal. Slice the log into 16 portions, or 1 and 1/2 to inches thick portions. Arrange them on a 9x13 baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely and let rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the Cinnamon rolls for 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly and then spread the cream cheese icing on top.

Cream Cheese Icing

1. Beat together the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar and the vanilla extract. (Adjust the consistency by adding more sugar to thicken it up, or add milk a little a time, to thin it out.)
   

Notes

*To make butter really soft, microwave it briefly just until it is shiny but not melted.

*To make the crema cheese really soft, take it out the fridge ahead of time. You can also microwave it briefly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 315Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 5g