Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe

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These are truly life-changing! This Easy Cinnamon Roll recipe doesn't require a stand mixer or hand mixer, and needs absolutely no kneading! These dessert sweet rolls rise high -- they're big and fluffy with sweet cinnamon centers and the most luscious cream cheese frosting.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, treat

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Rising Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Servings cinnamon rolls

Calories 517kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $7.23

Ingredients

3 teaspoons instant yeast (can use active dry --see Note 1)
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, separated
1-1/2 cups warm milk (we use whole)
4-1/2 cups white, all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping rolls
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs

Filling

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted then cooled
1-1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt, splash of vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon

US - Metric

Instructions

BUTTER: In the microwave, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and set aside to come to room temperature.
YEAST: Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl add warmed milk (Note 2). Sprinkle 3 teaspoons yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar right on top. Whisk and let sit 5-10 minutes (It should look creamy/foamy after 5 minutes (see photo). If not, you'll need to begin again or cinnamon rolls won't rise. (Either the yeast is dead or the milk was too hot.)
BUTTER: To the melted butter bowl, add in 2 tsp vanilla, and 2 large eggs. Whisk until smooth and completely combined.
DRY INGREDIENTS: In a very large bowl add 4-1/2 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tsp salt. Whisk. Make room in the center to add wet ingredients. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of the butter mixture and then the yeast mixture into the middle of the flour bowl. Stir with a strong rubber spatula until a shaggy/thick dough forms with no dry streaks of flour (see photo -- should be sticky/wet). Cover with plastic wrap.
Two options for how to proceed:
MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS TODAY: Let dough rise in a draft-free environment (~70 degrees F) for 90-120 minutes or until nearly 3 times the size. (This is 90 mins at my home.) At this point, also melt the 8 tbsp butter (in the microwave) for the filling. Set it aside to cool and harden to softened butter for easy spreading later! (See note 3)
MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS TOMORROW: Let dough rise in a draft-free environment (~70 degrees F) for 30 minutes. Then place in the bottom shelf of a fridge and refrigerate for 8 hours up to 12 hours (no longer). Remove and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until dough is about 3 times the initial size.
SHAPE CINNAMON ROLLS : Spray a 9x13-inch pan generously with cooking spray. Sprinkle a large clean work surface with flour then tap all your fingers in flour. Tap spatula in the flour. Use flour-dusted spatula to scrape all the dough onto floured surface. Shape dough into an even-sized ball (use flour as needed so it doesn't stick to you). Use a rolling pin to roll it into a wide rectangle, 15x12-inches (15-inch side facing you).
FILL CENTER: Smooth the softened butter evenly over the dough in an even layer. In a small bowl combine 1-1/4 cups brown sugar with 2 tbsp cinnamon and stir. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over dough and then gently press into dough. Tightly roll up the dough into a cylinder. Using a very sharp serrated knife cut cylinder in half. Cut each half in half again to have 4 pieces. Cut each piece into 3 individual rolls for 12 total cinnamon rolls. Place rolls spaced tightly together in prepared pan. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place gently over rolls. Let rise for 20-30 (up to 45) minutes or until about 75% larger in size.
BAKE: While cinnamon rolls are rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once rolls have risen, remove plastic wrap. Warm 1/3 cup heavy cream in microwave for 20 seconds then use a pastry brush to gently and evenly brush over all the rolls. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the surface is a golden brown and rolls sound hollow when tapped (45 mins in my oven). Remove from oven and let slightly cool 5-10 minutes before frosting.
FROSTING: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. Mix in the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Add in the powdered sugar and then beat until the frosting is smooth (it will seem like you need more liquid, but just keep beating; it will come together! Spread over slightly cooled cinnamon rolls and enjoy them warm!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Yeast: Instant yeast is best here, but you can use active dry. Just note that rise times are typically a bit longer with active dry yeast. This is my favorite yeast; I empty the bag into a container in the freezer -- this way it stays good for ages!

Note 2: Milk temperature: Drizzle a few drops of the warmed milk onto the inside of your wrist. If it is warm and comfy for you, it will be perfect for the yeast. If it is not warm and instead feels hot, it will be too hot for the yeast. Too cold and the yeast will simply remain dormant. (I take milk straight from fridge and microwave it for 45 seconds before using.)

Note 3: Butter: We melt the butter when the dough is doing its first rise -- this way the butter will have cooled and hardened to a soft consistency. This will enable you to spread it more evenly over the dough and avoid waste of butter spilling out. (If you use warmed melted butter, it leaks out of the rolls during cooking, leaving you with a dry filling.)

Storage: These cinnamon rolls are best the same day they're made. It's important that the rolls are fully cooled before being stored. When they're fully cooled, you can store them. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature (cool air from the fridge will make them go stale quicker).

Nutrition