Craving a warm, fluffy, and delicious breakfast treat? Check out these simple cinnamon rolls. You get soft dough sweet cinnamon sugar inside, and creamy frosting all together in one treat to hit the spot—these homemade cinnamon rolls. Great for a lazy Sunday breakfast or special events, this recipe works well for new bakers and pros alike.
Tips for Creating Delicious Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- Use fresh ingredients: To get the best flavor and texture, choose fresh ingredients, including the yeast.
- Warm the milk: Make sure the milk is warm (not hot) before adding the yeast. This helps the yeast become active quickly.
- Knead the dough well: Kneading has an influence on the dough’s gluten resulting in a soft and chewy texture.
- Let the dough rise somewhere warm: A warm spot will help the dough rise faster and more .
- Use parchment paper: Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper prevents the cinnamon rolls from sticking and makes cleanup easy.
- Keep an eye on them: Watch your cinnamon rolls in the oven. Too much baking can make them dry and tough.
- Cool before frosting: Give the cinnamon rolls time to cool. This stops the frosting from turning into a runny mess.
- Spice it up: Add a bit of cardamom or ginger to the cinnamon-sugar mix. This creates a special flavor.
- Plan ahead: Make the dough and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Bake them in the morning to have a fresh yummy breakfast.
- Store extras: Put any leftover cinnamon rolls in a sealed container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 days.
FAQs: Solutions to Your Baking Problems!
Q: My dough sticks too much. What can I do?
A: When your dough sticks too much, you might have added too much liquid. Add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough no longer sticks but stays soft.
Q: Why are my cinnamon rolls flat?
A: Your cinnamon rolls might be flat because you kneaded the dough too much or didn’t let it rise enough. Knead the dough just until it feels smooth and stretchy, and be sure to let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size.
Q: My cinnamon rolls are burning on the bottom. What’s wrong?
A: Your cinnamon rolls might burn on the bottom if your oven runs too hot. Try lowering the temperature by 25°F and bake them until they turn golden brown.
Q: My frosting is too thick. How can I thin it out?
A: To thin out thick frosting add milk bit by bit. Put in a teaspoon at a time until you get the texture you want.
Q: Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?
A: You bet, cinnamon rolls can be frozen. Let them cool off then wrap each one in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to eat them just move the frozen rolls to the fridge overnight to thaw. To warm them up, pop them in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Stand mixer or hand mixer (optional)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small bowl
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 packet 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
- Add wet ingredients: Add egg, melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add flour, mixing until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare filling: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll and fill: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches by 9 inches. Spread softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Roll: Roll up the dough tightly.
- Cut and rise: Cut the roll into 12 slices. Place the slices on a greased baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Make frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Frost: Let the cinnamon rolls cool slightly before frosting. Drizzle the frosting over the warm rolls.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use whole milk instead of skim milk.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer or hand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand.
For a sweeter frosting, add more powdered sugar. - To make cinnamon roll ice cream, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the center of each cinnamon roll and microwave for 30 seconds.
