Easiest Actually Good Cinnamon Rolls
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Ingredients:
Dough:
▪115g (1 stick) unsalted butter
▪225g (1c) plain Greek yogurt
▪115g (1/2c) milk
▪7g (1 packet) instant yeast
▪450g (3 1/2c) all-purpose flour
▪100g (½c) sugar
▪2g (1/4t) baking soda
▪8g (1 3/4t) salt
Filling:
▪115g (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
▪150g (2/3c) brown sugar
▪20g (2 1/2T) cinnamon
▪1g (¼t) salt
Icing:
▪25g (2T) cream cheese
▪75g (⅓c) heavy cream
▪150g (1 ¼c) powdered sugar
▪Pinch of salt
▪10g (2t) water
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare the Dough:
▪In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat, then remove from heat.
▪Stir in yogurt and milk, ensuring the mixture stays between 85-90°F.
▪In a large mixing bowl (I use this one), combine the butter-yogurt-milk mixture with yeast and stir to hydrate
▪Add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients.
▪Mix with a sturdy spoon until you can no longer stir, then switch to a wet hand and knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a cohesive mass (about 3 minutes).
▪Shape the dough into a ball, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Knead and Rise:
▪After the dough has rested, knead it again for 3 more minutes to further develop the gluten.
▪Shape it back into a ball, cover, and let rise for 75 minutes until doubled in size.
3. Make the Filling:
▪In a bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until it looks like wet sand
▪Whip the mixture with a spoon for about 60 seconds to cream it together (or whip with a mixer)
4. Roll and Fill:
▪Preheat the oven to 375°F/190C
▪Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface, gently degas it, and roll it into a rectangle approximately 12”x16” (30x40cm)
▪Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the dough, using light, sweeping motions to avoid tearing the dough.
5. Roll the Dough:
▪Starting from one of the short ends, roll the dough tightly, using a tuck-and-pull motion to create tension in the roll.
▪Once rolled, cut off the uneven ends, then cut the log in half. Cut each half into 3 equal pieces for a total of 6 rolls.
6. Bake the Rolls:
▪Spray a 6-count jumbo muffin pan (or use an 8-9” brownie pan and cut into 9 pieces for softer sides) with pan spray and place the rolls inside.
▪Bake at 375°F/190C for 40-55 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. If using a brownie pan, cover with foil for the first 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
7. Make the Icing:
▪While the rolls cool, combine cream cheese and heavy cream in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
▪Add powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk until combined, adding 10g water if needed to adjust the texture to a sauce-like consistency.
8. Ice the Rolls:
▪Drizzle or smear the cream cheese icing over the cinnamon rolls, making sure to cover the tops and let it seep into the spirals.