The Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe

My cinnamon roll recipe uses a simple tangzhong technique for incredibly soft, gooey, bakery-style rolls that stay tender for days -- truly the best cinnamon rolls of your life! Top them with cream cheese frosting and enjoy them the same day, or prepare them overnight and bake them fresh the next morning. Recipe includes a step-by-step video!

Course Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American, Japanese

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 27

Rising Time 2

Total Time 2 57

Servings cinnamon rolls

Calories 401kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong

⅔ cup (158 ml) whole milk
¼ cup (30 g) bread flour

For activating the yeast

⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the dough

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Flour paste/tangzhong from above
1 egg + 1 large egg yolk
4 cups (500 g) bread flour (plus additional if needed)
2 teaspoons table salt (or fine sea salt)
⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter softened and cut into 5 pieces

For the filling

4 Tablespoons (56 g) salted butter softened
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon table salt

For the icing

2 oz (56 g) cream cheese softened
2 Tablespoons (28 g) salted butter softened
1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and flour. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until it thickens to a paste (temperature should reach about 165F (74C)). Remove from heat and transfer to a separate bowl to cool. Tangzhong can be warm when you add it to the dough but should not be hot (I prefer it below 110F/43C).
⅔ cup (158 ml) whole milk, ¼ cup (30 g) bread flour
Bloom the yeast: Combine ⅓ cup each of milk and water and heat to 110-115F (43-46C). Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl, if making by hand). Stir in the yeast along with a teaspoon of sugar. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, until yeast is foamy and activated
⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk, ⅓ cup (80 ml) water, 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Make the dough: Add the sugar, cooled tangzhong, egg, and egg yolk to the yeast mixture. Stir briefly (by hand or using the paddle attachment of your mixer) to combine.
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, Flour paste/tangzhong, 1 egg + 1 large egg yolk
Add about 2 ½ cups (312g) of your flour and then sprinkle the salt evenly over the flour. Stir well, until everything is well combined
2 teaspoons table salt
Add the butter: Add the butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring until completely incorporated into the dough before adding the next. Continue mixing until all butter has been completely combined.
⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter
Add remaining flour, as needed: Switch the paddle attachment for your dough hook attachment and gradually add the remaining flour while mixing on low-speed. If making by hand, continue stirring with a wooden spoon. Continue to add flour until the dough clings to itself and pulls away from the side of the bowl, it may be tacky but should not be very sticky or stick to your fingers. You may need to add slightly less or slightly more flour than called for.
Knead: Knead the dough with the dough hook attachment of your mixer (or by hand on a clean, lightly floured surface) until smooth and elastic, about 10-12 minutes with the dough hook or 12-15 minutes by hand.
First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (usually about 1-2 hours).
Prepare the filling: While the dough is rising, set out your butter to soften (you could also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, it should be very soft and spreadable). Whisk together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Generously grease a glass or ceramic 9x13” (33 x 23cm) baking dish with butter and set this aside as well.
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon table salt, 4 Tablespoons (56 g) salted butter
Assembly: Gently punch down your risen dough and turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out to a 8x20” (20 x 50cm) rectangle and spread your softened butter evenly over the surface, leaving about ½” (1.3cm) perimeter around the edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter and gently press this into the butter with your hands.
Form into rolls: Starting with a longer side, roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam firmly at the end to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut into 12 even slices and transfer to prepared baking dish, spacing evenly.
Second rise: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free space until puffed and increased in size by about 50% (most of the gaps between the rolls will be filled, typically around 30 minutes). While rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 350F (175C).
Bake: Once rolls have puffed, uncover the dish and transfer to the center rack of your 350F (175C) preheated oven. Bake 25-27 minutes, until edges are light golden brown and internal temperature of a second-row, center roll reaches 180-185F (82-85C). While the rolls cool, prepare the icing.
Icing: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar until well-combined, then stir in milk and vanilla extract. If your frosting looks lumpy, use a whisk to stir until smooth.
2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons (28 g) salted butter, 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorate: Icing can be applied when rolls are cooled or still warm (warm rolls will make the frosting melt some and be a bit more like a glaze, this is fine and a matter of preference). Spread frosting evenly over rolls. Best served warm or re-heated.

Video

Notes

Flour

Bread flour is best for the most tender best-textured rolls with just the right chew. However, an equal amount of all-purpose flour can be substituted if it’s all you have.

Mixer

While this dough can be made by hand (without a stand mixer) it typically requires a bit more flour this way (as it is quite sticky and difficult to knead). This dough benefits from being a bit more on the sticky side, and it’s easier to properly knead it this way with a stand mixer. Rolls made by hand may be a bit more dry due to the added flour that is typically necessary (they'll still be good, though!)

Storing

Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (refrigeration recommended due to the cream cheese frosting, otherwise they could keep at room temperature for up to 4 days). Rolls will become a bit firmer in the fridge, so I recommend reheating (10-20 seconds in the microwave) before enjoying.

Making in advance

Follow recipe through step 11 (forming into rolls and assembling in baking dish – do not proof a second time), cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight or up to 18 hours. The next day, remove from the fridge, leave covered, and allow to rise at room temperature for 45-75 minutes,/until rolls are puffed (toward the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 350F/175C ). Bake as indicated.

Nutrition