Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft, Old-Fashioned & Bakery-Style)

🌀 The “Shred-able” Heavy Cream Cinnamon Rolls

This dough is “enriched,” meaning it’s heavy on butter and eggs. This results in a brioche-like crumb that stays soft for days (if they even last that long).

CategoryDetails
Prep Time30 mins (+ 2 hours rising)
Cook Time20–25 minutes
Total Time~3 hours
Yield12 Large Rolls

🍴 Ingredients

The Dough:

  • 4 ½ cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 pack (2 ¼ tsp) Active dry yeast
  • 1 cup Whole milk, warmed (110°F/43°C)
  • ½ cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup Unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp Salt

The Filling & Secret Step:

  • 1 cup Brown sugar, packed
  • 2 ½ tbsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup Butter, very soft
  • ½ cup Heavy cream (warmed slightly—for pouring over before baking)

The “Cloud” Frosting:

  • 4 oz Cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup Butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups Powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. The Yeast Bloom & Knead

  • Whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a stand mixer bowl. Let it sit for 5–10 mins until foamy.
  • Add melted butter, eggs, salt, and 4 cups of flour. Using a dough hook, knead for 5–7 mins. The dough should be tacky but pull away from the sides. If too sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour slowly.

2. The First Rise

  • Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a warm damp cloth, and let rise in a draft-free spot for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.

3. The Roll & Spiral

  • Punch down the dough and roll it into a large rectangle (approx. 12×18 inches).
  • Spread the soft butter edge-to-edge. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it generously over the butter.
  • Roll tightly from the long edge. The Pro-Tip: Use unflavored dental floss to “zip” through the dough for clean, un-squashed cuts. Cut into 12 rolls.

4. The “Magic” Pour

  • Place rolls in a greased 9×13 pan. Cover and rise for another 30 mins.
  • Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Just before sliding them in, pour the warmed heavy cream into the gaps between the rolls.

5. The Bake & Frost

  • Bake for 20–25 mins until lightly golden.
  • While they bake, whisk the frosting ingredients until fluffy. Apply the frosting while the rolls are still warm so it melts slightly into the spirals.

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