Cinnamon Roll Recipe with Yeast

Close up overhead view of cinnamon rolls topped with icing in parchment lined baking dish.

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5 from 26 votes

Cinnamon Roll Recipe with Yeast

Try this sweet homemade Cinnamon Roll recipe with yeast soon! They're soft, fluffy, and delicious.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Resting Time1 35

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon rolls

Servings:

Calories: 623kcal

Author: LaKita Anderson

Equipment

1 Stand mixer with hook attachment
1 Rolling Pin
1 sharp knife

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough
1 cup milk, warmed (100-110 degrees F.)
1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoon) active dry yeast or instant yeast
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra)
Cinnamon Roll Filling
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
Cream Cheese Frosting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cream cheese
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Warm 1 cup of milk (100-110 degrees F.), careful not to make it too hot. Dissolve the 2 ¼ teaspoons of active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon from the ½ cup of granulated sugar, and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The yeast will proof and become fragrant and foamy. If not try it again, the yeast may be bad or the milk too hot.
Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the rest of the ½ cup of granulated sugar, ⅓ cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs, 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, and mix until well combined.
Add the yeast mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well on medium-low speed until combined (about 6 to 8 minutes) and the dough has formed. The dough will be soft but will stick onto itself. If you find it is too wet and not coming together to form a soft dough ball, add an additional 1 tablespoon or two of additional all-purpose flour and mix a little longer.
Lightly oil a large bowl or spray with non-stick cooking spray, add the dough ball, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size
In a small bowl, stir together the 1 cup brown sugar and 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon until combined.
Prepare a 9x13-inch rectangle baking dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough into an even rectangle (17" x 14") about ¼ inch thick.
Evenly spread ⅓ cup softened butter over the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Working from the long edge of the rectangle, carefully roll the dough from the top edge to the bottom edge.
Using a knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the dough into even 1 ½ inch thick slices and place into the prepared baking dish.
Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place the baking pan in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and light golden brown. Carefully remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in the baking dish.
While the rolls cool, make the cream cheese frosting using a mixer by combining the 6 tablespoons butter, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup cream cheese, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and mixed well.
Spread the frosting generously over the top of the warm cinnamon rolls.
Serve warm and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Notes

Here are a few tips for making the best homemade cinnamon rolls.

Be sure to allow the yeast to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. It will bubble up a bit and that means the yeast has activated. If you don't see that it bubbles, that means the yeast is dead and your dough will not rise. You will need to start the process all over and check the date on the package of yeast before using it.
You may mix the dough by hand but just take into consideration that it will take longer and some arm strength to mix it up.
When allowing the dough to rise, be sure you cover it, or it will dry out the dough. Use a light kitchen towel, loosely wrapped plastic wrap, or even a two-layer cover of paper towels. Also, make sure it is not in a cold drafty area. I find placing it into a cold (turned off) oven works very well.
When rolling out the dough, try to make sure it is evenly thick all the way around. Aim for ¼ inch thickness on the cut cinnamon rolls.
To make the process easier, add the warm milk and yeast to the stand mixer bowl and allow it to proof before adding the other ingredients on top.

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