Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 11 votes

These homemade cinnamon rolls are perfect for Christmas morning; soft, chewy, and loaded with cinnamon, they are worth getting out of bed for.

Prep Time35

Cook Time30

Rising & Chill Time2

Total Time3 5

Course: Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: rolls

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Stand Mixer
Baking Sheet
9x13 Baking Pan
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

For the Dough

4½ cups bread flour 540g
⅓ cup granulated sugar 67g
1 tbsp instant dry yeast 9g
1 tbsp kosher salt 9g
4 large eggs 230g, cold
1 large egg yolk 14g, cold
14 tbsp whole milk 219g, cold (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons)
18 tbsp unsalted butter 254g, room temperature, plus more for the pan (2¼ sticks)

For the Filling

12 tbsp unsalted butter 170g, melted (1½ sticks)
9 tbsp brown sugar 113g (½ cup + 1 tbsp)
¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
3 tbsp ground cinnamon 27g
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 3g
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 large egg 50g, lightly beaten, for brushing
1 tbsp milk 14g, for brushing

For the Icing

2 cups powdered sugar 226g
6 tbsp heavy cream 85g
1 tsp pure vanilla extract 4g
⅛ tsp table salt

Instructions

For the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt on low speed for about 30 seconds.
4½ cups bread flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp instant dry yeast, 1 tbsp kosher salt
Add eggs and milk and mix until a ball forms around the dough hook, about 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is very smooth, about 5 more minutes.
4 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, 14 tbsp whole milk
Add the butter, 1 tbsp at a time, while mixing the dough on medium speed. Incorporate the butter after each addition. It should take about 3 minutes to add all the butter.
18 tbsp unsalted butter
Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a proofing oven or somewhere warm for the dough to rise, about 1-1½ hours. The dough is very enriched so it may not rise very much.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling: Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pie spice and salt. The mixture will firm to a spreadable consistency when kept at room temperature until ready to use. Stir right before using.
12 tbsp unsalted butter, 9 tbsp brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, ¼ tsp kosher salt
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and pat it out into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cover the dough with plastic wrap.
If making the rolls the day of serving, refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or freeze up to 20 minutes. If making the rolls the next day, refrigerate the rolls overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with softened butter.
Lightly flour a work surface, and transfer the dough onto it. Make sure the parchment has been removed from the dough. Lightly flour the top surface of the dough, and roll the dough out into a ½-inch thick rectangle.
Use an offset spatula to spread the filling mixture, to the edge, evenly over the dough. The top surface of the dough should be covered.
Roll the dough, beginning with the long side closest to you, into a tight spiral, keeping the roll tight as you work.
Use a serrated knife or waxed floss to cut the dough log into 1½-inch rolls. Arrange the rolls on the prepared baking dish, leaving ¼-inch between them.
Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap and place in a warm place or proofing oven to rise, about 30-45 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 tbsp milk. Brush the top of the rolls with the egg wash and bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden and the internal temperature registers 190°F.
1 large egg, 1 tbsp milk

For the Icing

While the rolls bake, mix the powdered sugar, heavy cream, pure vanilla extract, and table salt together and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
2 cups powdered sugar, 6 tbsp heavy cream, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, ⅛ tsp table salt
When the rolls are finished baking, allow them to cool 10 minutes, then drizzle the icing on top.
Serve warm (if possible) or reheat in a 350°F oven (loosely covered with foil) about 15-20 minutes before serving.

Notes

The dough needs 1½ to 2 hours to rise, so plan accordingly.
You can use all-purpose flour; the cinnamon rolls may just turn out less chewy.
Grease the baking dish so you can easily remove the rolls once baked.
Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap if placing them in the fridge overnight.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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