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4.74 from 23 votes

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

In about one hour, ooey gooey easy cinnamon rolls topped with a thick layer of cream cheese icing!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: breakfast
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) milk
  • 1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbs., 76 g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons (2 pkg.) rapid rise yeast
  • 4-4 1/2 cups (480-540 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 large egg

For the filling:

  • 1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbs., 76 g) softened unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (12 g) ground cinnamon

For the icing:

Instructions

Making the dough:

  • In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine the milk, granulated sugar, salt, and butter. Heat until the butter melts and then allow to cool. (Mixture should be about 120-130oF.) If using active dry yeast, the mixture should be between 105-110oF. Note: If using active dry yeast, rolls will take longer to rise.
  • Into the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups of flour and yeast with dough hook attachment .
  • Once butter mixture has cooled, add into stand mixer and mix on low. Add in the egg and combine.
  • Add in remaining 2 cups of flour - 1/2 cup at a time (You may not need it all). I find 4 cups is perfect (but this may depend on how you measure your flour - refer to my notes). Scrape edges of bowl to stir flour in evenly. Knead 5 minutes on low. If dough seems a bit sticky, stir in 2 tablespoons of flour at a time until it starts pulling away from the bowl. {You still want it to be a little sticky!} Rest dough 5 minutes.

Shaping the cinnamon rolls:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper, spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  • Sprinkle counter with flour and roll dough to be about 12x16 inches.  
  • Spread with softened butter over dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough. 
  •  Dump brown sugar and cinnamon mixture onto the middle of the dough and spread with your hands, creating an even layer over top of the butter, still leaving that 1-inch strip of dough untouched.   Lightly press the sugar mixture into the butter using a rolling pin.
  • Shaping Method #1: Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into 12 equal strips. Roll up each strip into one roll and place into your pan.
    Shaping Method #2: Roll the dough up into a tight log, finishing with the plain dough on the bottom to seal the entire thing together. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log. Slice your rolls into 1 1/2 inch rounds and place on prepared pan. 
  • Cover the dish with a towel and allow to rise in a warm draft place for about 20-25 minutes until puffy. (If you used instant or active dry, rise times will be longer)
  •  Bake about 20 minutes or until tops start to brown lightly.

Make the cream cheese icing:

  •  Cream the cream cheese and butter together.
  • Add in your vanilla extract.
  • Then add in your sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until smooth and creamy.
  • Once rolls have been removed from the oven, frost using half the amount made. Then after they have cooled a few more minutes, frost again

Video

Notes

  • Making Ahead/Storage:
    • Unbaked: If you want to make the rolls but not bake them, go ahead make and shape these. But then cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in your fridge. The next day, bring them out and let them proof as usual before baking.
    • Baked: Yes you can make them the night before. Just warm them up gently in an oven or in the microwave for a few seconds (10-15 for each roll. They should last at room temperature for up to 3 days. Any longer and I would freeze. If they have a cream cheese icing I like to store in the fridge wrapped to be safe.
    • Freezing Unbaked: You can also freeze the rolls unbaked as well for up to 3 months. If freezing unbaked rolls, shape them and then freeze before you allow them to proof (rise for the last time). And then when ready to bake, let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Then when ready to bake the day of, take them out and let them proof as normal until puffy in volume and bake as normal.
    • Freezing Baked: Allow them to cool completely before freezing. And then I like to place on a baking sheet to freeze solid and then pop into a plastic bag for up to 3 months. You can reheat them in the microwave.
  • Butter: Make sure to use real butter in stick form, not margarine or tub butter which is made with oils and will affect the dough outcome.
  • Cream Cheese: Use the brick variety, full fat is best. Do not use the tub variety.
  • Tips On Baking These: 
    • Test Your Milk Mixture. You want to use a thermometer to test the temperature of your milk before adding your yeast. Yeast is a living thing, which means if the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the milk is too cold the yeast will not proof properly. You want the milk mixture to be around 105-110°F. 
    • Weigh Your Ingredients For Best Accuracy (And It's Faster!). If you don't use a scale, then measure your flour accurately by spooning the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off. Be sure to NOT pack it down. Either measure using this method described in this post, or use a kitchen scale for best accuracy.
    • Slightly Sticky Dough Is Good. It's better to have your dough be on the bit sticky side, this will result in a fluffier roll. 
    • Cut Into Strips. I used to roll the dough up and then cut with a sharp knife or dental floss, but I found it much faster and easier to cut the dough into 12 strips after it's been rolled out and then roll up each individual roll. Much faster and easier!
    • Proof In Your Oven. Yeast will take longer in a colder kitchen. So if your kitchen is below 70oF and it's winter do yourself a favor and proof in your oven. Turn your oven on at its lowest setting (for me that's 170oF) and let it preheat. Once it's preheated, I turn my oven off and put my pan of rolls into proof. This will speed up the process greatly!

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 574IU | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg