Easy Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe for warm, buttery cinnamon rolls can be ready on your table in 2 hours flat. This is the easiest recipe for cinnamon rolls I've ever made!
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Growing up, cinnamon rolls were a tradition on holiday mornings. Not exactly the homemade kind, but the kind that came out of a can. They baked up warm and fresh and made the house smell amazing. I would eat like 3 or 4 of them in one sitting; basically enough to make myself sick. Smelling cinnamon and sweet dough baking on a cozy late-fall morning is one of those simple life pleasures that I will forever be grateful for. I love the little things.
Unfortunately, these days those canned cinnamon rolls just don't hit the spot the way they used to. They have an unmistakeable preservativey flavor that I can't get past, and they're generally lacking the depth and butteriness of the homemade kind. I do miss that fun pop of the can, though.
The recipe I have for you today isn't quite as easy as popping open a can and throwing the dough in the oven. But! They're easier than any other cinnamon roll I've ever made, and they're pretty fast, too. Not to mention, they're outrageously delicious. Perfectly sweet and doughy and oozing with cinnamon, butter, and love.
These rolls take just shy of 2 hours to make from start to finish, and a lot of that time is spent doing absolutely nothing while the yeast works it's magic. If you've ever been afraid of making yeasted doughs at home, let this be the first recipe you try. I promise it will turn out amazing! Once you start making your own breads and yeasted pastries at home, it's hard to stop. The process can be quite addicting, not to mention all the delicious treats that go along with it.
I hope you all had a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving and get to enjoy some downtime with loved ones this weekend. Make sure you keep these cinnamon rolls in your plans. They'll make your time together that much better.
One Year Ago: Turkey or Chicken Carnitas
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Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk whole or 2% is fine, avoid skim
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant or rapid rise yeast
- 3 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading and rolling
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- a few drops of vegetable oil for the bowl
For the Filling
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus one extra tablespoon for the pie plate, melted
For the Icing
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt optional
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat and add the water and milk. The mixture should be warm, but not hot.
- Sprinkle the yeast over top and give it a quick stir, then set aside for about 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Add the butter mixture and an egg, then use a rubber spatula to mix until a dough just comes together.
- Turn it out onto a floured work surface, then gently knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Lightly oil the inside of another bowl, place the dough inside, cover and let rest for about 20 minutes.
Make the Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- Whisk in 4 tablespoons of melted butter until thoroughly combined.
Assemble and Bake
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto a generously floured work surface. Dust some flour on top of the dough and onto the rolling pin, then roll it out into a rectangle about 14-15 inches long and 9-10 inches wide. Do your best to keep the edges as squared off as possible.
- Spread the filling out evenly all over the dough, getting as close to the edges as you can.
- Starting at the top, carefully roll the dough up lengthwise, nice and tight. Use your fingers to gently pinch together the seam to seal everything in.
- Cut the dough into 12 even sized rolls using the sharpest knife you own.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a pie plate with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter, then place the rolls inside. Cover and leave in a warm area to rise for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- When the rolls have almost doubled in size, bake them uncovered for about 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven when they’re golden brown and have no signs of raw dough remaining in the center.
Make the Cream Cheese Icing
- Use an electric mixer to cream together the softened cream cheese and butter.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, then blend on low speed until no lumps remain.
- Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool down for a few minutes, then slather the icing all over top. Serve warm.
Nutrition
These are so good! Very simple and easy to follow. Adding to our Christmas brunch list for sure!
Can you make these in a 9x13 pan?
A 9x13" pan is a bit too big, so they might spread out rather than up while they bake. I'm sure they'll still taste great, though! You can bake these in any 8-9" round pan - a cake pan, pie plate, even a cast iron skillet. Or you could try a 9x9" square pan, too. Hope this helps!
The unbaked rolls rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight, so all you need to do the next morning is take the rolls out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature while you heat up the oven.
Genius!! Thanks for the tip.
very yummy rolls, can't have enough of them..
My brother and I LOVED those canned cinnamon rolls! And that thrilling POP! But you're right, the dough part was gross and they never came with enough icing for us. I promise I'll make these real ones for Christmas this year.
Yay! I think you and your brother will love them. And you're 100% right. NEVER enough icing!