Soft Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

My homemade cinnamon rolls are, hands down, the best. Period. Topped with a thick, oozy cream cheese frosting, they’re pure comfort on a plate.

Skip the mall queues—these warm, gooey cinnamon rolls rival any bakery and you can make them at home whenever the craving hits.

Fair warning: these are not health food. They’re rich, indulgent, and exactly what you want when a serious sweet tooth calls.

Soft, slightly chewy dough layered with brown sugar and cinnamon, finished with a luscious cream cheese icing—this is my go-to cinnamon roll recipe. You can make them the same day, prepare the dough the night before, or freeze baked or unbaked rolls for later.

💭 How to make cinnamon rolls

The process has several steps but none are difficult. The dough rises twice, and there’s a little kneading and rolling—but overall it’s very approachable.

🧾 Ingredients

Dough

• Milk
• Instant yeast
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• All purpose flour

Filling

• Light brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Butter (softened)

Icing

• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla extract

See the recipe card below for precise measurements.

📋 Helpful ingredient tips

• Milk – Use whole milk or 2%. Warm (not hot) milk activates yeast; test by dipping a finger—it should feel slightly warm.
• Yeast – Instant yeast works well. If using active dry yeast, proof it in warm milk for about 5 minutes and expect slightly longer rising times.
• Butter – Melted butter is used in the dough and icing. For the filling, use softened (not melted) butter so the filling stays spreadable and doesn’t run out of the rolls.
• Eggs – Use room temperature eggs. If cold, place them in warm water for a few minutes to warm up.
• Cinnamon – For best flavor, use a fresh jar of cinnamon.
• Cream cheese – Soften before mixing so the icing becomes smooth.
• Brown sugar – Light brown sugar is used here; dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor if preferred.

🥣 Making the dough

Warm the milk, add yeast, and stir. Let it rest a minute while you gather ingredients. Then add sugar, eggs, melted butter, salt, and vanilla and mix. Using a dough hook, gradually add flour until a firm yet slightly tacky dough forms. Resist adding extra flour—slightly tacky dough produces the best texture.

Remove the dough from the mixer and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes to develop elasticity and a softer crumb.

🕐 First rising

Grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a warm towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

Tip: Moisten a towel lightly and microwave it for about one minute to create a warm covering.

🥄 Cinnamon roll filling

While the dough rises, mix light brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter until it forms a spreadable paste.

🔪 Forming the cinnamon rolls

Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 22″ x 14″. Drop the filling across the surface and spread it evenly, leaving about 1/4″ bare around the edges.

Starting from a short end, roll the dough tightly into a log. Use a serrated knife to slice the log into 12 even pieces. Don’t worry if edges look a bit messy—they’ll puff and round up during the second rise and baking.

🕜 Second rising

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cut rolls in a parchment-lined baking dish in three rows of four, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another 30 minutes or until nearly doubled in size.

⏲️ Baking

Bake on the middle rack for 20–30 minutes. Begin checking at 20 minutes. The rolls are done when the tops are lightly browned and the dough sounds slightly hollow when tapped. They will likely touch each other in the pan; that keeps the centers soft.

🥄 Making the icing

While the rolls bake, beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth, starting the mixer slowly so powdered sugar doesn’t puff out. Keep the icing at room temperature so it stays spreadable.

Let baked rolls cool about 5 minutes, then spread the icing so it slightly melts into the swirls. For thicker icing, wait until the rolls are fully cool. Serve warm for best ooey-gooey results; reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

👩🏻‍🍳 Additional filling ideas

• Nuts – Pulse nuts to pea-sized pieces and mix into the filling for crunch.
• Raisins – Sprinkle raisins over the filling before rolling for extra bursts of sweetness.

❓ FAQ

Have a sweet tooth? Try more dessert recipes from this collection.

📝 Recipe

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Layers of soft, slightly chewy dough filled with brown sugar and cinnamon, finished with a rich cream cheese icing.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Rising Time: 2 hrs

Total Time: 2 hrs 50 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• 1 cup warm milk (not hot)
• 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ¼ cups all purpose flour

Filling

• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ½ cup butter, softened

Icing

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Making the Dough

1. Place warm milk in a mixing bowl, add yeast, and stir. Let sit a minute or two.
2. Add sugar, eggs, melted butter, salt, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour and mix until a firm yet slightly tacky dough forms.
3. Remove from mixer and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.

First Rising

1. Grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a warm towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours or until doubled.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

1. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter until paste-like.

Rolling, Filling, and Cutting

1. Roll dough into a rectangle about 22″ x 14″.
2. Drop filling over the dough and spread evenly, leaving a 1/4″ border.
3. Roll from a short end into a tight log and slice into 12 even pieces.

Second Rising

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place rolls in a parchment-lined dish, cover, and let rise 30 minutes or until nearly doubled.

Baking

1. Remove covering and bake on the middle rack for 20–30 minutes until lightly browned and sounding slightly hollow when tapped.

Icing

1. While the rolls bake, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Let baked rolls cool 5 minutes, then spread icing so it melts into the swirls. Serve warm.

Notes

• Additional filling ideas: nuts (coarsely chopped) or raisins can be added before rolling.
• Reheating: microwave 30 seconds or warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Calories: 538 kcal | Carbs: 75 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 24 g

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