American Baking
Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
An enriched dough wraps around cinnamon-brown-sugar filling, then bakes into soft rolls finished with cream-cheese frosting.
High CarbMake AheadBaking ProjectDessertComfort Food
At a Glance
- Time
- 3 hr 40 mins
- Serves
- Makes 12 rolls
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- American Baking
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian
Instructions
- Mix the flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, eggs, and 4 tablespoons of the butter and knead until you have a soft elastic dough, then let it rise until doubled.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle and spread it with the remaining butter. Scatter the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface, then roll it up tightly and cut into 12 pieces.
- Arrange the rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish and let them rise again until puffy. Bake at 375 degrees F until golden and cooked through, about 20 to 22 minutes.
- Whisk the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk if needed into a smooth frosting while the rolls bake.
- Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls so it melts into the spirals. The centers should stay tender and the edges lightly caramelized.
Adaptations
Plan Ahead- Gluten-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Dairy-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Vegetarian: Vegetarian Vegetarian as written.
How to adapt: GF cinnamon rolls are a significant rework: use a GF bread flour blend with xanthan gum and expect a denser, less springy roll. For dairy-free, substitute vegan butter throughout and use coconut cream or a dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting. The overnight fridge-proof method works well with either adaptation.