![Cinnamon rolls title picture](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fthumbnail.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Originally taken from the Woks of Life, this cinnamon roll recipe and technique has been tweaked a bit to suit my own preferences. These rolls also keep well in your freezer when you want to have a great breakfast with little prep.
What you'll need
Ingredients
For the dough:
- ⅔ cup (142 grams) heavy cream at room temperature
- 1 cup (224 grams) whole milk at room temperature
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (77 grams) white sugar
- ½ cup (83 grams) cake flour
- 3½ cup (564 grams) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon (11 grams) yeast
- 1½ teaspoon (6 grams) table salt
- Neutral oil (for oiling the bowl)
For the filling:
- ⅔ cup (127 grams) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1½ tablespoons (11 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the frosting:
- 1 cup (1 block, or 8 ounces) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4 teaspoons (16 grams) vanilla extract
- 10 ounces powdered sugar
Equipment
- Stand-mixer with dough hook and paddle attachments
- Large bowl and plastic wrap for proofing
- Offset spatula or knife for spreading filling
- Parchment paper
- Floss for dividing rolls
- Rolling pin
- Something to bake in (can be anything that can go in the oven)
Making the dough
![cinnamon-rolls/mixing stage.png](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fmixing%2520stage.png&w=3840&q=75)
- Put all the dough ingredients together into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed for 15-20 minutes, pushing down the dough occasionally, until the dough is very smooth. At this point, it should pass the windowpane test. How long your dough takes to get to this point will depend on how warm/cold your kitchen is and the wattage of your stand mixer - just be patient!
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape the dough into a smooth ball by tucking in the rough edges underneath, and then place the dough into the oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
![cinnamon-rolls/dough risen.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fdough%2520risen.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Filling and shaping the rolls
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[Image: Landon Carter]
- Once the dough has doubled in size, it's time to prep the filling. Put the filling ingredients (light brown sugar, room temperature butter, salt, ground cinnamon, and vanilla) into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix until the filling is light and fluffy looking – the mixture will have turned a light brown color:
- Turn out the dough onto a clean surface. The dough should be smooth enough to not require flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is roughly 12 inches wide and 24 inches long:
- Using a knife or offset spatula, spread the filling evenly onto the dough. Leave about a half inch border clear of filling on all sides.
- Starting from either end (depending on how tall you want your cinnamon rolls to be), roll the dough into a log. I like to roll from the short end for maximum cinnamon spirals:
- To cut the dough into clean circles, slide the floss under the log at the point you want to cut. Pick up the ends, cross them over each other, and then pull until the dough is cut completely. I usually cut the log into 16 rolls.
- Line your baking dish of choice with parchment paper, place the number you want to eat inside, and then cover with plastic wrap. If you are eating the cinnamon rolls the same day, leave them out at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours. If you are eating the next day, place them in the refrigerator overnight, and then remove from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before baking so they can double in size at room temperature. Otherwise, you can freeze them as-is to bake at another time.
![cinnamon-rolls/filling.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Ffilling.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
![cinnamon-rolls/measured dough.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fmeasured%2520dough.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
![cinnamon-rolls/spread filling.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fspread%2520filling.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
![cinnamon-rolls/roll dough.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Froll%2520dough.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
![cinnamon-rolls/cut with floss.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fcut%2520with%2520floss.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
![cinnamon-rolls/prepared rolls.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Fprepared%2520rolls.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Baking and frosting
- When the rolls have doubled in size, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Note that when baking from frozen, defrost the number you want to bake in the refrigerator the night before for best results.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the cinnamon sugar is oozing and bubbling.
- While the rolls are baking, mix the cream cheese frosting ingredients together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer. Whip until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated into the cream cheese, and the frosting takes on a shiny texture. Extra frosting can also be refrigerated to use for future cinnamon rolls (or just eating with a spoon).
- When the cinnamon rolls are done baking, take them out and immediately smother them in frosting. Serve immediately.
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![cinnamon-rolls/frosted rolls.jpeg](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdsffxbhsioywuekqprgt.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Frecipe-media%2Fcinnamon-rolls%2Ffrosted%2520rolls.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)