Warm, pillowy cinnamon buns with a delicate touch of cinnamon baked right into the dough, then rolled with a luscious filling of sweet brown sugar and fragrant cinnamon. A subtle hint of nutmeg adds a surprising little twist—warm, aromatic, and just unexpected enough to make every bite memorable. Fresh from the oven, they’re soft, gooey, and irresistibly comforting, with that perfect bakery-style indulgence. Best enjoyed warm with a strong cup of coffee.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 45 minutes–2½ hours
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours 35 minutes–3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 large cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
DOUGH
- ¾ cup (180 grams) whole milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (one ¼-ounce package) instant yeast
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) salted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 3 cups (360 grams) bread flour, plus more as needed
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Vegetable Oil, for greasing the bowl
FILLING
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 grams) packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 4 oz (112 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (85 grams) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Prepare the dough: warm the milk in the microwave for 30-40 seconds, until it registers 105-110°F on a thermometer. Put the warmed milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and sprinkle the yeast on top. Add the sugar, melted butter, egg, and egg yolk. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
2. Knead the dough: Place a dough hook on the stand mixer. Add the flour, salt, and cinnamon, and stir on low speed, increasing to medium. Knead the dough in the stand mixer until it forms a large ball. The dough should be smooth and only slightly tacky to the touch. If the dough seems too sticky and isn’t forming a ball, add more flour ½ tablespoon at a time until a smooth ball forms. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead with your hands until it is smooth and elastic (about 3-5 minutes). Shape it into a ball.
3. Time to rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil. Transfer the dough ball to the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and a warm, damp kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
4. Prepare the filling: While the dough is rising, make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined. Set aside.
5. Dust a surface with flour. Turn out the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10 × 14-inch rectangle.
6. Spread the filling all over the dough using a greased spatula. Starting at one of the 10-inch sides, roll the dough tightly into a log. Seal the far edge of the dough as best you can by pinching it together slightly, then make sure the dough log is seam-side down. Trim about ½ inch from each end. Then cut the remaining log into six equal 1½-inch pieces.
7. Line a 9×9-inch or 11×7-inch pan with parchment paper. Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise again until the rolls have puffed up, doubled in size, and are slightly touching each other in the pan (45 minutes to 1 hour). Preheat the oven to 350°F.
8. Bake the cinnamon rolls: Once the rolls have risen, remove the plastic wrap and towel and bake until golden brown on the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t overbake. Cool for 10 minutes.
9. Prepare the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Spread the frosting over the rolls while they are warm but not piping hot.
Storing and Reheating
Cover the whole pan with plastic wrap and foil or place individual cinnamon rolls in airtight containers or silicone bags and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat the cinnamon rolls individually in the microwave in 15-second intervals until warm.
