How To Make Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch | RecipesCooker

These cinnamon rolls start with 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast and a warm milk mixture that sits at 100 to 110°F. Get that temperature right and the rest is patient waiting.

You'll make 12 rolls in two 9-inch round pans. Each pan holds one in the center and about five around the edge, which gives every roll a soft side and one golden outer edge.

The dough rises twice, the rolls bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, and the cream cheese frosting goes on while they're still warm. Plan for a little over two hours from start to first bite.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Warm the milk mixture

Whisk the warm milk, sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl. Check the temperature. It should read 100 to 110°F. If it's hotter, wait a few minutes before going on.

2. Bloom the yeast

Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the surface, stir once, and leave the bowl in a warm spot for about 10 minutes. Foam on top means the yeast is alive.

3. Mix in four cups of flour

Stir in 4 cups of the flour with a wooden spoon until it just comes together. It will look shaggy, and that's fine.

4. Let the dough rise

Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 1 hour. It should nearly double in size.

5. Butter the pans

Butter two 9-inch round baking pans generously and set them aside.

6. Make the filling

Stir the brown sugar, softened butter, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl until evenly mixed. Set it aside.

7. Add the last flour and salt

Uncover the dough and stir in the remaining 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and the salt. Turn it out onto a clean surface and keep a little flour nearby for dusting.

8. Knead until smooth

Knead for at least 10 minutes, adding flour only as needed. The dough is ready when it stops sticking to your hands and the counter and springs back when you poke it.

9. Roll out the rectangle

Roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Square up the corners with a bench scraper or spatula so the rolls come out even.

10. Spread the filling

Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough in an even layer, right to the edges.

11. Roll and seal the log

Roll the dough up from one short end into a log. Pinch the seam closed and set the log seam-side down. Trim the uneven ends.

12. Cut into rolls

Cut the log into pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick using unflavored dental floss. Put one roll in the center of each pan and about five around the sides.

13. Second rise

Cover the pans with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place for 35 to 45 minutes. They should grow by about half their original size.

14. Heat the oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F while the rolls finish rising.

15. Bake

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the centers feel set when pressed. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

16. Make the frosting

Whisk the cream cheese, melted butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add the powdered sugar gradually and whisk until the icing is smooth and runny.

17. Frost and serve

Drizzle the frosting over the warm rolls and spread it with the back of a spoon if you like. Serve them warm.

Tips & Tricks

• Test your milk mixture with a thermometer before adding yeast. 100 to 110°F is the window. Above that, let it cool for a few minutes.
• Let the yeast sit for about 10 minutes after you sprinkle it in. If it hasn't puffed up and looked foamy, the yeast is dead and you should start again with a fresh packet.
• Butter the two 9-inch round pans before the dough is ready, so you're not greasing pans with sticky hands.
• Use unflavored dental floss to cut the log. Slide it under, cross the ends, and pull. It keeps the spiral intact where a knife would squash it.
• Trim the uneven ends of the log before cutting. Those ragged pieces bake unevenly and never look right on the plate.
• Freeze unbaked rolls if you're not baking right away. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Variations

• Add 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans over the filling before you roll the dough.
• Swap the cream cheese frosting for a simple powdered sugar glaze if you want something lighter.
• For a darker, deeper swirl, use dark brown sugar in the filling in place of light brown.

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How To Make Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch

Soft yeasted cinnamon rolls with a brown sugar cinnamon swirl and cream cheese frosting, baked at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 12 rolls in two pans.

30 minPrep time30 minCook time175 minTotal12Servings

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Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk (warm to the touch)
• ½ cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 4 oz cream cheese (softened and cubed)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. 1Warm the milk mixture — Whisk the warm milk, sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl. Check the temperature. It should read 100 to 110°F. If it's hotter, wait a few minutes before going on.
2. 2Bloom the yeast — Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the surface, stir once, and leave the bowl in a warm spot for about 10 minutes. Foam on top means the yeast is alive.
3. 3Mix in four cups of flour — Stir in 4 cups of the flour with a wooden spoon until it just comes together. It will look shaggy, and that's fine.
4. 4Let the dough rise — Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 1 hour. It should nearly double in size.
5. 5Butter the pans — Butter two 9-inch round baking pans generously and set them aside.
6. 6Make the filling — Stir the brown sugar, softened butter, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl until evenly mixed. Set it aside.
7. 7Add the last flour and salt — Uncover the dough and stir in the remaining 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and the salt. Turn it out onto a clean surface and keep a little flour nearby for dusting.
8. 8Knead until smooth — Knead for at least 10 minutes, adding flour only as needed. The dough is ready when it stops sticking to your hands and the counter and springs back when you poke it.
9. 9Roll out the rectangle — Roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Square up the corners with a bench scraper or spatula so the rolls come out even.
10. 10Spread the filling — Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough in an even layer, right to the edges.
11. 11Roll and seal the log — Roll the dough up from one short end into a log. Pinch the seam closed and set the log seam-side down. Trim the uneven ends.
12. 12Cut into rolls — Cut the log into pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick using unflavored dental floss. Put one roll in the center of each pan and about five around the sides.
13. 13Second rise — Cover the pans with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place for 35 to 45 minutes. They should grow by about half their original size.
14. 14Heat the oven — Preheat the oven to 350°F while the rolls finish rising.
15. 15Bake — Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the centers feel set when pressed. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.
16. 16Make the frosting — Whisk the cream cheese, melted butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add the powdered sugar gradually and whisk until the icing is smooth and runny.
17. 17Frost and serve — Drizzle the frosting over the warm rolls and spread it with the back of a spoon if you like. Serve them warm.

Cook's note: The dough needs a warm, draft-free spot for both rises. An oven that's off, with the light on, works well. Just don't turn on the heat.

Servings: 12

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

RecipesCooker30 minutes30 minutes175 minutes

Written by Maya Whitfield
Maya writes about easy American cookies and bars, plus eggs and breakfast casseroles for busy mornings. She focuses on pantry-friendly ingredients, reliable bake times, and make-ahead steps that fit real weekday schedules. Her recipes keep instructions short and checkpoints clear so nothing gets overbaked or underdone.