BEST Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Close-up of the best cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting in pan.

The best cinnamon rolls with a special ingredient to make them super soft and fluffy.

Author Amber Brady

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Additional Time 2

Total Time 2 40

Yields servings

Ingredients

Milk Mixture:

1 cup (237 ml) milk
4 Tbsp (57 g) butter
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
¾ tsp salt

Yeast Mixture:

¼ cup (59 ml) warm water, 110℉
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast, 1 packet
2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Dough:

1 large egg, beaten
½ cup (140 g) mashed potatoes, (plain) can use instant mashed potatoes
4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour, plus more, as needed

Cinnamon Filling:

½ cup (113 g) butter, softened (not melted)
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz (113 g) block-style cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tbsp (57 g) butter, room temperature
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1-4 Tbsp milk, as needed to reach desired consistency

Instructions

MILK MIXTURE: Scald milk on the stove or in the microwave. Add the butter, sugar, and salt. Whisk until dissolved. Let cool to 120˚F.
YEAST MIXTURE: Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (110˚F). Stir and set aside.
Prepare mashed potatoes, if needed. About 1/3 cup dry flakes with 1/2 cup HOT water. Just enough water to be smooth, but remain thick. Set aside.
DOUGH: Beat egg and place in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Add the mashed potatoes, the (cooled) scalded milk mixture, and the bloomed yeast. Turn the machine on low and add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until 4 cups have been added. The dough will be sticky, but make sure it is moving around the bowl well. Add more flour 1 Tbsp at a time, as needed. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-10 minutes.
Empty the sticky dough into a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and let rise for 1 hour, or until double in size.
Empty the rested dough onto a floured surface. Sprinkle the top with flour and pat the dough flat. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, be sure to lift the dough periodically to make sure it is not sticking to the countertop; dust with flour as needed. Roll dough about 1/2-inch thick, which will be about 14-inches wide by 18-inches long.
CINNAMON FILLING: Spread softened butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch bare along one of the longer edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter and spread evenly with your hand. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the brown sugar. May smooth cinnamon evenly with hand, if desired.
Roll the dough into a log from the long end with the filling towards the long end that was left bare. Roll tightly, but not pulling/stretching the dough. Once you reach the bare edge, lift it up and fold it over the top of the log. Pinch the seams together.
Use floss to cut the rolls into 12 even pieces, about 1.5-inches thick. Place cinnamon rolls on a greased baking sheet. (I use a half sheet pan; 13x18-inches.) Pat the tops slightly to make sure everything is even and flat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and rise for 1 hour, or until double in size.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350℉ for 20-25 minutes or until browned on top and the dough is fully baked. Check that the dough is cooked where the rings of the cinnamon-sugar are. NOTE: The bread is done when a thermometer probe reaches 190-200℉ when inserted into the thickest part of the dough.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and the vanilla. Beat for 1 minute. Add another 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp of milk. Beat 1 minute.
Add more milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls.

Notes

You can make up to 15 cinnamon rolls with this recipe if you roll the dough a little larger/flatter. All 15 rolls will still fit onto a half sheet pan. Cutting the dough into 12 pieces makes slightly bigger cinnamon rolls.
Storing: Cover and store rolls at a controlled room temperature (68-72˚F) for up to 2-3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers: Nuke leftovers in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, if desired.
To Make-Ahead Overnight: After cutting the rolls, place them on a greased baking sheet, and cover with sprayed plastic wrap, then refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning. *If rolls need more rise time, remove from and fridge and allow rolls to rise at room temperature until double in size, then bake as directed.
To Freeze Before Baking: Freeze filled and cut rolls directly on a pan lined with parchment paper and covered with a layer of greased plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Allow dough to thaw in the fridge overnight and continue rising at room temperature if needed before baking. May also quick freeze the rolls for 3-4 hours and transfer them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag, if desired. Place individually frozen rolls onto a greased baking sheet, cover with sprayed plastic wrap and allow to rise before baking.
To Freeze After Baking: Do not cover with frosting! Allow cinnamon rolls to cool completely. Then cover the entire pan with plastic wrap and foil. May freeze individually wrapped cinnamon rolls inside of a freezer-safe bag. Defrost cinnamon rolls at room temperature.
Freezing the Frosting: You can freeze the cream cheese icing separately in a freezer safe zip-top bag with the air squeezed out. This is nice because you can cut off a corner and pipe it over the cinnamon rolls. Thaw the frosting in the fridge overnight or use your hands to warm it up.

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