Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Easy Cinnamon Rolls – Soft, fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls swirled with a buttery cinnamon sugar filling and topped with smooth, sweet cream cheese icing. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls filling your kitchen! These Easy Cinnamon Rolls are wonderfully soft and fluffy, with a generous swirl of buttery cinnamon sugar tucked into every layer and a deliciously sweet cream cheese icing on top.

They’re surprisingly simple to make from scratch, using a soft homemade yeast dough and a rich, cinnamon-spiced filling. Once baked until beautifully golden, the rolls are topped with creamy icing that melts slightly into all those lovely swirls. Enjoy them warm for a cosy weekend breakfast, a special brunch, or an indulgent afternoon treat with a cuppa!

Looking for more delicious sweet bread recipes? Try my Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls, Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, or Monkey Bread.

Happy baking,

Marsha x

From the recipe box

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls swirled with a buttery cinnamon sugar filling and topped with smooth, sweet cream cheese icing. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

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Prep 1 hour hour

Cook 35 minutes minutes

Rise 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Yields 12 rolls

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Ingredients

For the Dough

• 360 ml whole milk, warmed to 43°C (110°F)
• 100 g caster or granulated sugar
• 14 g active dry yeast
• 115 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 780 g bread flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt

For the Filling

• 115 g unsalted butter, partially melted
• 200 g light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Icing

• 113 g cream cheese, softened
• 28 g unsalted butter, melted
• 125 g icing/powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Dough

• In a large measuring jug, stir together the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Set aside for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly.
• Pour the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, eggs, and egg yolk, and whisk until combined.
• Add the flour and salt, and mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If the dough is too sticky to handle, sprinkle over a little extra flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, until manageable. Avoid adding too much flour.
• Place the dough into a lightly greased large bowl. Cover with cling film/plastic wrap or a clean tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.

For the Filling

• In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the partially melted butter, light brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
• Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 6mm thick, with the long side facing towards you. Trim the edges to make a neat 30 × 46cm (12 x 18-inch) rectangle.
• Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the dough, covering the surface.
• Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 equal strips, approximately 3.8 cm (1.5-inch) wide.
• Roll up each strip into a spiral and arrange the rolls in a greased 33 × 23cm (13 × 9-inch) baking tin.
• Cover with cling film/plastic wrap or a clean tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for a further 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F/Gas 4.
• Remove the covering and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top and reach an internal temperature of 88–93°C (190–200°F).
• Leave to cool slightly in the tin on a wire rack whilst preparing the icing.

For the Cream Cheese Icing

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and melted butter until combined.
• Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth and creamy.
• Spread the icing evenly over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve.

Recipe notes

Yeast: Use active dry yeast for this recipe. The milk should be warm (about 43°C/110°F), not hot, to help activate the yeast.

Bread flour: Strong white bread flour gives the cinnamon rolls their soft, fluffy texture. Plain/all-purpose flour can also be used, although the texture may be slightly different.

Make ahead: Prepare and shape the rolls as instructed, then arrange them in the baking tin. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The following morning, leave to rise in a warm place until puffy before baking.

Storage: Store leftover cinnamon rolls tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm gently before serving.

Freezing: Baked cinnamon rolls freeze well for up to 3 months. Allow to cool completely, then wrap tightly and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge before warming and serving.