Honestly... is there anything better for breakfast than a warm, fresh cinnamon roll? No, there isn't! I used to love seeing the tube of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls come out of the fridge. Ahhh, it doesn't get much better than that... well actually, it does... with these best ever cinnamon rolls! They are fluffy, soft, and make the best breakfast... especially when they're slathered in icing.

Ingredients for the best ever cinnamon rolls

Now let's get baking! To make the cinnamon rolls, you'll need just 9 ingredients! Here's everything you'll need:

• All-purpose flour

• Active dry yeast

• Salt

• Granulated sugar + brown sugar

• Milk (2%)

• Unsalted butter

• Eggs

• Cinnamon

and what is a cinnamon roll without icing?? With only 3 ingredients, you'll definitely want to whip this up, too! Here's what you'll need:

• Heavy cream (recommended) or milk

• Powdered sugar

• Vanilla extract

To make these cinnamon rolls, you will need either a 12" round or 13x9 baking dish/pan. You will also need a stand mixer (optional), dough hook attachment, large bowl, floss (for cutting the rolls), and some kitchen utensils, such as a whisk/fork/spoon, measuring cups, and a spatula.

Kneading the dough

If you have a stand mixer, and a dough hook attachment, I HIGHLY recommend using it to knead the dough. You can definitely still definitely still knead it by hand if that's your preference. However, the mixer will do the trick as well! Once your dough comes together, turn it on a low speed, and allow it to run ("knead") for about 6-8 minutes. As it kneads, the dough will start to climb up the dough hook attachment, so you will have to stop it every few minutes to scape it back down into the bowl.

Tips for the best cinnamon rolls

Don't use too much flour to out your dough. Your dough will be slightly sticky, but relatively easy to work with. You will most likely need a light dusting of flour on your surface to roll out your cinnamon roll dough. But beware-- you can accidentally use too much! Using too much flour can make your cinnamon buns turn out hard and tough, so be sure to only use a small amount, as needed. You should only need about a tablespoon of flour for this step.

Don't skimp on the cinnamon. Remember. These are cinnamon rolls. You need cinnamon! I know that the amount called for in this recipe might seem like a lot, but trust me... It's the perfect amount!

Use floss to cut the rolls. Using a knife to cut your dough into rolls can squish or flatten them, and cause the rolls to loosen. I find that using floss to cut each roll is a lot easier and you get very clean cuts with no flattening!

Use a mixer to make your cinnamon filling. When softened butter is involved, I LOVE using either a hand or stand mixer. It helps whip more air into the butter than I can do by hand, which makes it spread easier. This is obviously not a necessary tip, but is recommended!

So, if you're looking for your next weekend baking endeavor, you should definitely consider making these. They take time, but good things come to those who wait. And those good things come in the form of delicious, fresh cinnamon rolls. Happy baking!

The Best Ever Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe by Chrissy

Servings

rolls

Prep time

hours

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

hours

minutes

Ingredients

3 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup warm milk
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Cinnamon filling
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon cinnamon
Icing
¾ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions

In a large glass, whisk together the yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the yeast to activate; about 5-10 minutes. Once it starts to bubble and foam, you're ready to go.
For this recipe, we're going to use a stand mixer to make the dough*. Pour the yeast mixture into the mixer bowl. Add in the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Attach your dough hook attachment and mix all of the wet ingredients together.
Add in the 3 ½ cups of flour and salt a little at a time. Turn your mixer on a low speed until all of the flour is worked in and a dough has formed. It will be a bit sticky.
Once dough has formed, lock and turn the mixer on, and allow it to run for 6-8 minutes. This will work as kneading the dough. Scrape the dough down as needed.**
Once the dough is done kneading, transfer to a large, greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm place to rise for 2 hours.
Once the dough is about done rising, make the cinnamon filling. Beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until fluffy. Set aside.
You will also want to prepare your baking dish/pan at this point. Grease it with butter, and line with parchment paper, if desired. Set aside.
Now that your filling is made and dough has risen, lightly dust your countertop with 1 tablespoon of flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Knead a few times, and shape roughly into a rectangle. Using a rolling pin, begin rolling out the dough. Roll dough out to about 18 inches long and 12 inches high.
Take the cinnamon filling mixture and drop spoonfuls of it all over the dough. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread it evenly around, leaving about ½ inch of dough uncovered around the edges.
Starting at the bottom of the rectangle, slowly and carefully turn the dough up to begin rolling. Try to keep the roll tight as you work your way up.
Now it's time to cut the rolls. Being 18 inches long, each roll will be 1.5 inches. Using floss, cut your cinnamon rolls, and place them into your prepared pan. Cover the rolls with a tea towel, and allow them to rise for another 30 minutes.
Once the second rise is almost done, preheat your oven to 375°F. Once preheated, uncover cinnamon rolls, pop in the oven, and bake for 26-28 minutes.
For the icing, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt (optional) in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. If you like your icing to be a little thinner, you can add a bit more heavy cream.
Now it's time to enjoy! The cinnamon rolls are best served freshly baked and warm. Slather in icing and devour!

Notes

*If you do not have a stand mixer or do not wish to use one, that's totally fine. The dough can be made by hand as well!

**As the dough kneads in the mixer, it will slowly get pushed up the dough hook. You will have to stop the mixer every few minutes, and using a spatula, scrape the dough back down into the bowl.

The Best Ever Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Directions

Notes

More Breads

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply