Soft Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are soft, pillowy spirals of yeast dough rolled with buttery cinnamon sugar and topped with tangy cream cheese icing. They are the best kind of weekend baking project.
- 1 h 10 minTotal time
- 12Servings
- 410kcal / serving
- 7 gProtein
The dough uses warm milk, egg and butter for a tender crumb and rises twice. Weighed flour and a thermometer check keep the rolls from drying out.
The science: why this works
- Warm milk at 110°F (43°C) wakes up the yeast without killing it, which is why the dough rises on time.
- Enough kneading builds gluten that traps gas, so the rolls bake up tall and fluffy.
- Egg and butter enrich the dough, which makes the crumb softer and the rolls stay fresh longer.
- Rolling the dough tightly and cutting with floss keeps the spiral intact instead of squashing it.
- Baking to 190°F (88°C) in the center sets the dough without drying out the swirl.
Why warm, not hot, milk
Yeast is most active around 100 to 110°F (38 to 43°C). Above about 130°F (54°C), it starts to die. Warm milk wakes the yeast and speeds the rise. Too-hot milk kills it, and the dough will stay flat and dense.
Learn: Waking up yeast →Why we knead
Kneading lines up gluten proteins into a stretchy network. During the rise the yeast makes carbon dioxide, and that network traps it. Without enough gluten the gas escapes, and the rolls bake up short and dense.
Learn: Gluten and kneading →Why enriched dough is softer
Butter, egg and milk add fat and protein that interrupt gluten strands and hold moisture. That makes the crumb softer and more tender than a lean bread dough, and it keeps the rolls from going stale as quickly.
Learn: Choosing the right flour →Soft Cinnamon Rolls
1 h 10 min · 12 servings · American · Baking
Ingredients
Makes 12 servings
- 240 mlwhole milk, warmed to 110°F (43°C)
- 2¼ tspg instant or active dry yeast (1 packet, 2 1/4 tsp)
- 100 ggranulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1large egg, room temperature
- 75 gunsalted butter, melted (5 tbsp)
- 480 gall-purpose flour (about 3 3/4 cups)
- 1 tspfine salt
- 100 glight brown sugar (1/2 cup packed), for filling
- 1 tbspground cinnamon, for filling
- 60 gunsalted butter, very soft, for filling
- 120 gcream cheese, softened, for icing
- 60 gunsalted butter, softened, for icing
- 180 gpowdered sugar (1 1/2 cups), for icing
- 1 tspvanilla extract, for icing
Method
Tips for the best result
- Use dental floss to cut the log, since a knife squashes the spirals.
- Check the dough with a poke test: a floured finger dent should spring back slowly.
- Warm the oven for 1 minute, turn it off, and use it as a proofing box.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using milk that is too hot kills the yeast and the dough never rises, so check it with a thermometer.
- Adding too much flour makes dry, dense rolls, so keep the dough slightly tacky.
- Overbaking gives hard rolls, so pull them when they reach 190°F (88°C).
Variations and swaps
- Add 80 g chopped pecans to the filling.
- Use an orange glaze made of powdered sugar and orange juice instead of cream cheese.
- Make them the night before: after shaping, cover and chill overnight, then rise 45 minutes before baking.
- Swap whole milk for 2% milk and the rolls will be a bit less rich.
- Swap active dry yeast for instant yeast and skip the foaming step.
- Swap light brown sugar for dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
Storing and reheating
Keep iced rolls covered at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat a roll 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave. Freeze unfrosted baked rolls for up to 2 months.
Soft Cinnamon Rolls: questions
Why are my cinnamon rolls dry?
They are usually overbaked or the dough had too much flour. Bake until the centers reach 190°F (88°C) and keep the dough slightly tacky. Weighing the flour helps a lot.
Can I make cinnamon rolls ahead of time?
Yes. After shaping, cover the pan and refrigerate for up to 16 hours. Let the rolls sit at room temperature for 45 minutes, then bake as directed.
How do I know the dough has risen enough?
The dough should double in size and look puffy. Poke it with a floured finger, and the dent should fill back in slowly. If it springs back right away, give it more time.
Do I need to proof the yeast?
With instant yeast, no. With active dry yeast, it helps to let it foam in warm milk for 5 minutes, which also shows the yeast is alive.
How do I cut cinnamon rolls cleanly?
Use unflavored dental floss. Slide it under the log, cross the ends on top and pull to cut. This avoids squashing the spiral the way a knife can.
