Deliciously gooey Homemade Cinnamon Rolls come with step-by-step photos, detailed instructions, and all my top tips for perfect rolls every single time.
author’s note
I Tested Cinnamon Rolls On Repeat So You Don’t Have To!
If you ask my toddler what his favorite food in the entire world is, he will not even blink before shouting “CINNAMON ROLLS!” at full volume. Because of that very passionate answer, I have found myself in a full blown cinnamon roll era. We have made so many batches that my mixer probably knows the recipe by heart.
All that rolling, kneading, tweaking, and tasting led to this version right here. It is the one that finally made my whole family stop mid bite and say, “Okay… these are it.” I have a feeling you are about to say the same thing.
Keep reading for step by step photos and simple instructions so you can make these even if you have never baked with yeast before. And if you try them, tell me how it went. I love hearing cinnamon roll success stories.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | What It Does / Helpful Notes |
|---|---|
| Whole Milk | Warm the milk to exactly 100°F and remove it from the stovetop. (I use a thermometer for precision.) |
| Active Dry Yeast | Gives the rolls their rise. Make sure it’s fresh. |
| Unsalted Butter | Melted butter enriches the dough and softened butter makes a smooth, spreadable filling. |
| Brown Sugar | Dark brown sugar gives extra depth; light brown works great too. |
| Cinnamon | If you love cinnamon feel free to add even more. |
| Heavy Cream | The game-changing step: pour it over risen rolls before baking for gooey centers. |
| Cream Cheese | Makes your frosting thick, tangy, and spreadable. Don’t skip the room-temperature step. |
How To Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Warm the milk and proof the yeast: Let it foam so you know your yeast is alive.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Butter, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Combine wet and dry: Mix into a tacky dough that pulls away from the sides of bowl.
- Knead and let rise: The dough should double in size.
- Roll it out: Spread on the cinnamon sugar filling and roll into a log.
- Cut and let rise again: Slice into twelve rolls and place in a 9×13 pan.
- Use the secret step of warm heavy cream: Pour it evenly over the risen rolls.
- Bake and frost: Let the frosting melt slightly over the warm rolls for the best texture.
Pro Tips For The Softest, Gooeyest Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Avoid over-flouring dough: Sticky dough = soft rolls. Too much flour = dense rolls.
- Use room-temp butter for the filling: If it’s too firm, it will tear the dough.
- Check your yeast: If it doesn’t foam, don’t keep going.
- Roll tightly but gently: Loose rolls unravel; too tight squeezes out the filling.
- Bake just until lightly golden: Over-baking dries them out quickly.
Featured Comment
“BEST cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had!!! Made these for friends and everyone went back for another one at least once! The recipe was also really easy to follow, and they turned out perfectly!”
– Shay
Variations
- Orange Homemade Cinnamon Rolls: Add orange zest to the filling and orange juice to the frosting.
- Maple Pecan Rolls: Add chopped pecans inside and maple extract to the glaze.
- Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls: Mix cocoa into the filling for a mocha swirl.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
How do I make my cinnamon rolls extra gooey?
Warm heavy cream over the rolls and measure your flour carefully so you don’t over flour.
Why didn’t my rolls rise?
Your yeast may be old or the milk too hot.
Why are my cinnamon rolls dry?
Too much flour or overbaking.
Storage
- Room Temp: Store unfrosted homemade cinnamon rolls tightly covered for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate: Lasts 3–4 days, though the texture is best at room temp.
- Can I make these in advance?: Yes! Freeze the shaped rolls before the second rise. When ready to bake: thaw in the fridge overnight, rise at room temp, pour cream, bake as usual.
Use Leftover Yeast In:
Sandwiches
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Muffins And Quick Breads
Fry Bread Recipe
Appetizers
Life-Changing No-Knead Dinner Rolls
Lunch
White Bread Recipe
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Gooey, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls made easy with step-by-step photos (see post above) and foolproof tips for perfect rolls every time!
Video
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan ceramic or glass; avoid metal if possible
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup whole milk I wouldn’t recommend a lower fat
- 2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast not instant or rapid rise
- 1/3 cup + 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus some additional flour as needed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Filling
- 8 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar I like dark, but light works great too; firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup heavy cream slightly warmed
For the Frosting/Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese full-fat, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Preheat oven to 170°F. Heat the milk in a medium pot over low heat until it reaches 100°F. Remove the pot from heat and add the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Do not stir. Let sit until foamy, about 5–10 minutes. (If the mixture doesn’t foam, you may need new yeast, or the milk could have killed the yeast if it was too hot. Start over or your rolls won’t rise.)
- While the yeast is proofing, melt the butter and let it return to room temperature. Once cooled, whisk in the vanilla extract and egg yolk until smooth. Whisk this mixture into the yeast/milk mixture.
- Using a stand mixer, mix together flour, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Once combined, make an indent in the center and pour the yeast mixture into it. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky (~2 minutes), scraping the sides with a spatula as needed. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, (~5–6 minutes). If the dough isn’t gathering around the hook, you can slowly add more flour (1/4 up to 3/4 cup extra). Aim for a slightly sticky and tacky texture—just enough to gather around the hook without sticking to your fingers. Avoid over-flouring to keep the dough soft.
- Remove the dough and shape it into a ball (it will be a little sticky!). Grease the mixing bowl with cooking spray or butter and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with the spray or butter. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled. This takes roughly 45 mins to 1.5 hours. Placing the dough in a warm environment will make it rise faster. (I turn off the oven that preheated to 170°F, add the bowl of dough into the oven, and crack the oven open 4–5 inches.)
- Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough. Try to get a rectangle shape that is approximately 15×12 inches (with the 15-inch side facing you). Avoid overworking the dough.
For the Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the softened butter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Beat until you have a thick mixture.
- Use a knife or spatula to spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the entire dough rectangle. Starting on the long side (closest to you), tightly roll up the dough jelly-roll style.
- Cut the roll of dough into 12 equal slices and place in a greased 9×13-inch ceramic or glass pan. (Avoid metal pans if possible.)
- Cover the rolls in the pan and allow them to rise until nearly doubled. Again, place in a warm environment to make them rise quicker, about 20–30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Warm the heavy cream for 15–20 seconds in the microwave (you don’t want it hot, just not cold/straight from the fridge).
- Using a pastry brush, spread the heavy cream over the risen rolls and allow it to soak down, in, and around the rolls.
- Bake cinnamon rolls at 375°F for 17–26 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown at the edges and the center of the rolls are cooked through.
For the Frosting/Glaze
- While the rolls are cooling, prepare the frosting/glaze. Combine room-temperature cream cheese and butter in a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until smooth.
- Allow cinnamon rolls to cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, then spread the glaze evenly over the rolls. Enjoy warm!
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm in the microwave or oven until soft.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Anyway there is a way to use instant yeast? I only have instant 🙁 or did I mess the whole thing up? 🙁
The filling was too soupy! Had to add flour to thicken it and it still was too wet. Got a different filling recipe somewhere else and seems thicker without adding flour.
Did you accidentally add the heavy cream to the filling? It’s supposed to go over the cinnamon rolls. Also butter should be softened not melted.
Can I prep these the night before and bake them in the morning?
I’m assuming raisins and nuts can be added?
On the topping? That should be totally fine!
THESE WERE SOOOOOO YUMMY 😋 My family loved it! We usually buy store bought cinnamon rolls, but these were definitely way better. My sisters asked me to make them again!
Thanks for this delicious recipe!!!
Yay! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Sadie!
BEST cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had!!! Made these for friends and everyone went back for another one at least once! The recipe was also really easy to follow, and they turned out perfectly!
I am so excited to hear this! Thanks so much Shay!
Hey! Is the Vanilla bean paste any different from Vanilla extract?
It’s essentially the same! Use a 1:1 ratio:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste. Vanilla bean paste has a stronger, richer vanilla flavor with visible vanilla bean specks.
Thank you for this recipe. I wish I could eat cinnamon rolls every day by the dozen! Thank you for the step -by – step instructions and pictures. I just want to know if I can use King Arthur’s gluten free all purpose flour in place of regular all purpose flour?
I would like to know the same!
Hi, I don’t have a stand mixer, is it still possible to make this, and for it to turn out? What do you recommend for mixing if I don’t have a stand mixer? Thank you
Hey Brigitte, it’s totally possible to make with hand mixers just a little more time intensive!