Quick Soft Cinnamon Rolls with a cream cheese glaze are super fluffy and light with a simple homemade dough, and a quick method to get baking!
Ah. Quick Soft Cinnamon Rolls. Super fluffy and super light. I’m going to go out on a limb and say these are better than any store bought roll or Cinnabon roll!
Not going to lie. Anything containing yeast as an ingredients scared the cr@& out of me. Up until four weeks ago, when caving into my craving and making these. It went like this: seeing cinnamon rolls EVERYWHERE > husband bringing them home > not completely satisfied and decide to go on mission: make my own > pour through recipe books > search hours on internet > cooking light to the rescue > made changes after the first batch > more changes after the second batch > icing changes to the fourth batch > now we’re here in time for Christmas. You’re welcome.
Don’t let yeast intimidate you. I don’t know why it’s a scary word to those of us who aren’t confident bakers. To put it bluntly, if I can bake with it and make these incredible rolls, then so can you.
With normal cinnamon roll recipes, there’s so much yeast rising going on and waiting three to four hours for that magical poof of dough; sometimes overnight. Then, there are other recipes cinnamon rolls are baked in an hour. Sometimes less. Well, these past two weeks I’ve tried so many of them, and the faster the recipes, the less fluffy we found the outcome to be. Still good, but not entirely our favourite. Like these yeast free chocolate chip cinnamon rolls made in muffin tins. They’re GOOD, but not GREAT, if you know what I mean.
With these, however, I’ve managed to meet these rolls in the middle with the agreement of a fast-ER prep time, withOUT losing the fluffiness and softness of cinnamon rolls, while still using yeast. Nothing beats yeast. I am now a full convert.
Just LOOK at the fluff levels on this baby down there ↓
Plus the cream cheese icing on this one down here ↓
All you need to do is FOLLOW the recipe. This will be the one time (or maybe the second time), I’m going to tell you NOT to make any substitutions. If you want the most perfect homemade cinnamon rolls, please, I beg you, follow the recipe exactly as it is written.
Soft, cinnamon rolls await your baking pleasure.
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- 1 cup milk , warmed to the touch (NOT HOT -- temp at 110°F or 45°C)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2-1/2 teaspoons quick-rise yeast (or look for instant or rapid-rise yeast)
- 1 large egg , lightly whisked
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose (or plain) flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Cooking oil spray
- 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted
- 4 oz | 110 grams cream cheese , room temperature
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Heat oven to 200°F | 100°C.
- Combine the warm milk together with the melted butter, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, until frothy.
- Add the whisked egg to the milk mixture. Add in EXACTLY 3 1/2 cups flour and salt, and mix until a soft dough forms (the dough will be sticky). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 2 minutes kneading), occasionally rolling into the flour on your bench top to prevent the dough sticking to your fingers.
- Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking oil spray and transfer the ball of dough to the bowl, turning once to coat in the oil. Cover with a damp towel. TURN OVEN OFF and transfer bowl of dough to the warm oven. Allow to rise for 30 minutes. (To check if dough is ready, gently press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, dough has not risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest for an additional 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface, into a 19-inch x 13–inch rectangle. Brush the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon. Gently rub the cinnamon mixture into the butter. Beginning at one long side, roll up dough tightly like a jelly-roll; then gently pinch the seam down to seal. Trim the ends for even slices, and cut dough into 12 or 15 slices.
- Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with the damp towel and allow to rise for a further 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- While rising, preheat oven to 175°C | 350°F.
- Uncover rolls; bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool slightly before glazing.
- Prepare icing while rolls are baking. Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla, until smooth and creamy. Beat in the powdered sugar until lump free. Spread icing over rolls. Serve warm.
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Jen says
I just made these and they’re awesome!!
Great job working out the recipe!
Thanks so much!!
Ceo38 says
Hi hi, I am from Singapore and we only have instant yeast here. No indication whether it is fast acting kind or whatsoever. Is it ok to use this? And could you kindly advice what conversion should I use to convert your measurements from cup to grams?? Would love to try out your recipe. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much
Karina says
Hi Shaffa! You can certainly try it!
shaffa says
just wondering if it would be ok to use a yeast that i can put directly to the flour mixture. i always use it for making pizza also.
c says
hi what is the exact measurement for 4oz cream cheese in cups? thanks
Rebecca says
Can I use a fruit filling in these? Will they still turn out the same? I know you said follow it exactly but I’m
Wanting to fill these with a strawberry sauce!
Sandra says
made these for father’s day yesterday but instead of icing them I made them into cinnamon sticky buns by melting butter in the pan first and adding pecans and brown sugar, then layered the cinnamon rolls on top. after they baked, I turned the pan upside down onto a platter. they were amazing!
Kim says
Trying this recipe now and I’m pretty sure I did something wrong lol My daughter and I are make this and either I was a little heavy handed with the butter, we didn’t roll out the dough completely, or something. Either way I’ll try it again because the recipe was really easy!
Dendi Gould says
After checking the first rise out of the oven, punch down and let rise another 30 minutes, is that again in a 200 degree oven, or countertop?
Karina says
Hi Jasmin. I tried both for this recipe, and both turned out exactly the same! Pretty pleased with that!
Jasmin says
Hi Karina,
Sorry if I missed this somewhere, but are you using American or Australian cup sizes? Just want to make extra sure because of the yeast.
Cheers
Amanda says
transfer bowl of dough to oven… inside the oven or ontop?
Cressida says
Best cinnamon bun recipe ever! Super easy with soft and fluffy buns!! Im in australia and used the packet yeast from woolies and waited 20mins for the milk yeast mixture to rise!… thank you for an awesome recipe 👍👍
Lillian says
I made the cinnamon rolls this morning for Easter brunch. They were amazing. I’m not a baker but these were easy.
Thank you
Terry says
I am going to try these today. A couple of questions: 1. does it matter if I use bleached or unbleached flour?
2. If I prepare night before, do I cover rolls, let rise, then place in fridge? Is there any rising time when I take from fridge to bake? Thanks so much!!
Karina says
Hi Kelly. The recipe says 1/4 teaspoon (3rd ingredient under Rolls section).
Kelly says
Crap, in process of making this.. how much salt?
Karina says
Hi Debra! They can be stored at room temperature for a day or two covered with plastic wrap to keep them moist and prevent them from drying out. Or in the refrigerator for a week in an air tight container, or covered with plastic wrap. Just heat them up in the microwave before serving!
Debra says
Once baked & iced do they need to be
Stored in refrigerator?
Karina says
Hi Stephanie! I’m in Melbourne and use a yeast found in the baking isle of either Coles or Woolies called Instant Dried Yeast. It’s in a red tall container with a gold lid!
stephanie says
Hi, I am trying your recipe for the first time. The supermarket did not have any quick rise variety (Woolworths in Sydney) so I have regular. I am thinking I should just double the resting time in between, has anyone tried this? Advice appreciated.
many thanks!
S says
I would like to use regular yeast (all I have in my cabinet today). I don’t mind the longer rise time , but will this work? Thanks!!
Carolyn Meadows says
like
Sherian Smithey says
Could you make up and after getting all rolled out -place in ref overnight, let rise and then bake? Will they be as sor if you do this?
jen says
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour?
S G says
Ammmmmmmazing! I followed the recipe exactly! (except added the zest of a small orange to the icing)
Love love the recipe! My Christmas guests were delighted! Thank you!
Virginia Hosken says
Thank you Karina…I made these and a couple of other recipes during the past two weeks. They worked!!! After my divorce five years ago I kind of gave up on my passion of cooking. (Mind you my oven still sucks and I tend to overcook everything). My experience with Pinterest has been hit and miss…what an I saying…miss and miss. BUT you’re recipes work and my family enjoy them. So I have mainly ditched them and subscribed to your site. I am humming away again in the kitchen. So thank you and have a splendid new year! Looking forward to more of your creations.
Karina says
Yes Judy. YES.
Judy says
So many people freak out when “yeast” is mentioned in a recipe when in reality there is nothing to be scared of. Read the recipe and directions two or three times, have ingredients in order of use and have a really clean section of counter space for rolling out. Pull your hair back,wash your hands and get at it!!
Karina says
Elizabeth you just described my confession haha!
Karina says
You can definitely prep them and leave them in the refrigerator over night rolled in a dish and ready to bake! Leave them out for an hour before baking to bring to room temp for best results 🙂
S says
Can I prep the night before and bake in the morning? Would they be just as yummy if prepped (minus icing) and stored in fridge overnight? My Hopes were to bake these Christmas morning…
Elizabeth says
That icing looks beyond amazing! I could definitely make three of these disappear in one sitting haha.
Karina says
It’s my pleasure Deb!
Deb says
These look heavenly! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Karina says
Hi Teresa! Yes exactly! It’s well worth it 🙂
Teresa says
Correct me, if I’m wrong. You let the dough rise twice then fill. roll and let rise a third time before baking??? Looks and sounds yummy. Waiting to try……….