Soft & Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Creamy Icing

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Is there any scent more wonderfully comforting than that of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven? We think not. That warm, sweet, and spicy aroma is a promise of pure indulgence: a tender, cloud-like dough spiralled with a rich, buttery filling, all lavishly coated in a tangy-sweet icing. It’s the kind of delight that transforms a simple weekend morning into a truly special event. If you’ve been on a quest to replicate that perfect, bakery-quality experience in your own kitchen, your search ends here. We have poured our hearts into perfecting this recipe for the ultimate soft & gooey cinnamon rolls with creamy icing, and we’re thrilled to share our secrets with you.

Why This is the Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe

We know that calling a recipe “the best” is a significant claim, but it’s one we stand behind with confidence. After numerous trials and refinements, we’ve developed a method that yields spectacular results without fail. Here is why we are certain you will adore it:

A Wonderfully Tender Dough: We utilise an enriched dough with milk, eggs, and butter. This creates a beautifully soft and fluffy texture that remarkably stays fresh for days.
A Perfectly Spiced Filling: A generous blend of dark brown sugar, premium-quality cinnamon, and softened butter melts during baking into a divine, caramel-like swirl.
A Sumptuous Cream Cheese Icing: Our icing achieves the ideal harmony between sweetness and tang. It’s wonderfully creamy, smooth, and drapes over the warm rolls beautifully.
Foolproof Guidance: Whether you are a baking veteran or just starting out, our straightforward, step-by-step instructions make this easy cinnamon roll recipe achievable for everyone.

Essential Ingredients for Our Cinnamon Rolls

The foundation of any great bake is sourcing the right ingredients. For the most accurate measurements, we always recommend using a digital scale. The quality of your butter and cinnamon, in particular, will truly elevate the final taste!

For the Dough:

Full-Fat Milk: 180ml (¾ cup), lukewarm
Active Dry Yeast: 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 standard 7g sachet)
Caster Sugar: 75g (⅓ cup)
Eggs: 1 large egg plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
Unsalted Butter: 70g (5 tablespoons), melted
Plain Flour: 440g (3 ½ cups), plus extra for dusting
Salt: 1 teaspoon

For the Filling:

Unsalted Butter: 85g (6 tablespoons), very soft
Dark Brown Sugar: 165g (¾ cup), packed
Ground Cinnamon: 2 ½ tablespoons

For the Cream Cheese Icing:

Full-Fat Cream Cheese: 115g (½ cup), softened to room temperature
Unsalted Butter: 55g (¼ cup), softened
Icing Sugar: 125g (1 cup), sifted
Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon
Milk: 1-2 tablespoons, to thin if needed

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

Right, let’s roll up our sleeves and get baking! If you follow these instructions with care, you will be rewarded with the most spectacular homemade cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had.

Activate the Yeast: Warm your milk until it is pleasantly warm, about 40°C (105-110°F). It should not feel hot. Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, then sprinkle over the yeast and a teaspoon of the caster sugar. Whisk it gently and allow it to stand for 5–10 minutes, until it becomes frothy. This is known as ‘blooming’ and confirms your yeast is active. For those new to baking, learning how to proof yeast correctly is an invaluable skill.
Make the Dough: Into the frothy yeast mixture, add the rest of the caster sugar, the egg and yolk, and the melted butter. Whisk everything together. Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and add the flour and salt. Begin mixing on a low speed until a rough dough comes together. Turn the speed up to medium and let it knead for 8–10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. If you’re kneading by hand, tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work it for 10–12 minutes.
First Rise: Take a large, clean bowl and lightly grease it with a little oil or butter. Shape your dough into a smooth ball, place it in the bowl, and turn it over once to coat it lightly in the oil. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film. Set it aside in a warm, draught-free place for about 60–90 minutes, or until it has doubled in volume.
Prepare the Filling & Roll: As the dough is rising, you can make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon, mixing until it forms a smooth, spreadable paste. Once the dough has doubled, gently deflate it and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a rectangle measuring roughly 12×16 inches, keeping the longer side towards you.
Fill and Cut: Distribute the cinnamon filling evenly across the dough, but leave a ½-inch border clear along the long edge that is furthest from you. Roll the dough up snugly into a log, starting with the long edge nearest to you. Pinch the seam firmly to seal it. For perfectly neat slices, we suggest using unflavoured dental floss. Simply slide a length of floss underneath the log, bring the ends up, cross them over, and pull to slice through the roll cleanly. This clever trick avoids squashing your beautifully formed spirals. Cut the log into 12 even portions.
Second Rise: Neatly arrange the rolls with the cut side facing up in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover them once more and let them rise in a warm place for another 30–45 minutes. They should look puffy and be touching one another. During this time, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / 350°F / Gas Mark 4).
Bake to Perfection: Place the rolls in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes. They are ready when they are a lovely golden-brown colour and cooked through in the centre. Allow them to cool in the dish for around 10 minutes before you add the icing.
Whip Up the Creamy Icing: While the rolls cool slightly, prepare the icing. In a medium-sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until they are smooth and fluffy. Add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract, beating until everything is well combined. If the icing seems too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches a consistency you like. Spread the icing generously over the still-warm rolls, letting it melt into all the delicious crevices.

Top Tips for Flawless, Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

Room Temperature is Key: Always make sure your eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature before you begin. This allows them to incorporate more evenly with the other ingredients, giving you a much better final texture.
Don’t Scorch the Milk: Milk that is too hot will unfortunately kill the yeast. A digital thermometer is a great tool here, but if you don’t have one, the ‘warm to the touch’ test is a reliable alternative.
Embrace the Kneading Process: Kneading properly is what develops the gluten in the flour, which is vital for achieving that light and airy structure. The dough should be able to pass the ‘windowpane test’, where a small piece can be stretched thin enough to let light pass through it without tearing.
Find a Warm Spot: Yeast thrives in a warm environment. A great place for your dough to rise could be in an oven that is off but has the light on, on a sunny windowsill, or even on top of your refrigerator.
Avoid Overbaking: The most common reason for dry cinnamon rolls is leaving them in the oven for too long. Keep a close watch on them and remove them as soon as they turn a beautiful golden brown. The internal temperature should read about 90°C (195°F).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I prepare these cinnamon rolls ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely! This recipe is ideal for making in advance. Once you have arranged the cut rolls in the baking dish (as in step 6), cover them well with cling film and place them in the refrigerator overnight for up to 18 hours. The next day, just take them out and let them rest at room temperature for 45–60 minutes to finish their second rise before you bake them as directed. This makes our recipe the ideal choice for an overnight cinnamon rolls breakfast treat.

My dough didn’t rise. What went wrong?

A failure to rise is nearly always related to the yeast. It’s possible your yeast had expired, or that the milk was too hot and deactivated it. We always recommend checking the expiry date on the packet and making sure your milk is just lukewarm before adding the yeast.

How should I store leftover cinnamon rolls?

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Alternatively, they will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. We suggest warming them gently in the microwave for 15–20 seconds to restore their soft, gooey texture before enjoying.

Why are my cinnamon rolls dry?

Dryness is usually caused by one of two factors: using too much flour in the dough or overbaking. Ensure you measure your flour accurately (weighing it is the most reliable method) and use only enough extra flour to stop the dough from sticking while you knead. Watch the rolls carefully in the oven and take them out as soon as they are golden.

The Perfect Icing for Your Cinnamon Rolls

We feel the icing is just as vital as the roll itself. The tangy profile of the cream cheese wonderfully cuts through the sweetness of the filling, creating a beautifully balanced treat that is never overly sweet. To achieve the best cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls, you must use full-fat, block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable type sold in tubs. Ensuring it is completely softened to room temperature is essential for a velvety, lump-free result. It is this fine detail that transforms a lovely sweet roll into a truly memorable bake, much in the way that the correct technique can turn a simple batter into a divine Cloud Cake Recipe.

Conclusion: Your New Favourite Weekend Treat

We believe baking should be a fulfilling and joyful activity, and this recipe for soft and gooey cinnamon rolls is designed to be exactly that. The process is a genuine pleasure, and your reward is a tray of warm, sticky, and completely irresistible bakes that will fill your home with warmth and the most incredible fragrance. If you enjoy making delightful sweets, you might also want to try our Blueberry Heaven Cookies The Definitive Recipe For Soft Chewy Perfection for your next project!

We truly cannot wait for you to try this recipe for soft & gooey cinnamon rolls with creamy icing. We hope you give it a go this weekend and make some delicious memories. Please leave a comment below to tell us how yours turned out, or feel free to tag us in your wonderful photos on social media!