These Cinnamon Rolls have to be the best, fluffiest and most delicious homemade cinnamon rolls ever. Smothered with a creamy vanilla glaze, they're impossible to resist! They do have to prove overnight, but it's well worth the wait!
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Is there anything better than waking up to the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls baking in the house? With a little planning the night before, your family will be jumping out of bed for the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Creamy Vanilla Glaze! Better than anything store bought, this recipe uses a brioche dough that is rolled with a brown sugar, butter and cinnamon filling. Topped with a cream cheese vanilla glaze and served warm, they make the most delicious brunch.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS
Ingredients for the dough
- bakers flour (bread flour)
- caster sugar
- instant yeast
- salt
- eggs
- water
- butter
For the filling
- dark brown sugar
- cinnamon
- butter
And for the glaze
- icing sugar
- cream cheese
- butter
- vanilla paste
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook
- hand mixer for glaze
- digital scales
- rolling pin
- large offset spatula or ruler, to straighten edges of the dough
- pastry brush
- square pan 23cm x 23cm or similar
- oven with defrost setting, or a warm, draught-free area for dough to rise
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING EACH STAGE
As you can see, the cinnamon rolls still look small when they're first filled and rolled. But with the second rise, they soon fill out. Once baked and golden, my cinnamon rolls are ready to be smothered with the creamy vanilla glaze.
TIPS ON Making PERFECT CINNAMON ROLLS
- take your time while making the dough -it needs a good 20 minutes for the butter to incorporate
- make sure the butter for your dough is SOFT before adding it to the mix
- use an offset spatula to push the edges of the dough straight -this will give you a nice, neat rectangle to roll
- it's handy to keep a tape measure nearby, to measure the rectangle
- for the filling: melt the butter and let it cool down for at least 20 minutes (while you set up to roll the dough)
- when rolling the dough (after it's risen overnight), keep your surface well floured. It's a very soft dough and will stick
- work quickly with the chilled dough -brushing the melted butter onto the cool dough will help the butter set and be less messy
- after sprinkling on the cinnamon and sugar, lightly press it into the butter -it won't fall out that way
- when you roll the dough, keep it nice and tight. You may need to ease the edges back in as you go
- to cut the rolls, use a serrated bread knife and cut in one direction (towards you), rather than a sawing motion. This will stop it from stretching your dough. Flour the knife, if necessary. Cut into thirds, then cut each third into 3 again, leaving you with 9 rolls
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
WHICH YEAST CAN I USE FOR CINNAMON ROLLS?
ANY! I like to use instant yeast, but if you want to use dry active yeast, you can! You will need 2 teaspoons for this recipe. Dry yeast will need to dissolved in the water first, so simply dissolve in the warm water (40 degrees) until it becomes frothy (5-10 minutes).
If you would like to use fresh yeast, you will need 17g of yeast. Again, it will need to be activated in warm water (35 degrees for fresh yeast) until frothy.
Once activated, the yeast/water mixture can be added to the dry ingredients, along with the eggs.
WILL MY CINNAMON ROLLS RISE IN THE FRIDGE OR THE OVEN?
BOTH! The "first rise" will occur in the dough in the fridge overnight. Once they've been filled and rolled the next day, they will then go through their "second rise" while proofing in the oven on defrost (or a warm, draught-free area). They will also grow again in the oven!
WHY DIDN'T MY CINNAMON ROLLS RISE?
Perhaps:
- your yeast has expired
- water was too hot or too cold
- dough was left in a spot that was too cold (defrost setting on your oven is ideal)
- you didn't allow enough time for the yeast to rise
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More Cinnamon Recipes
The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 250 g bread flour
- 25 g caster sugar
- 1½ teaspoon instant yeast see notes for yeast alternatives
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 50 ml room temperature water
- 125 g unsalted butter soft (left at room temp overnight)
Cinnamon Filling
- 130 g dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoon cinnamon
- 120 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 185 g pure icing sugar
- 60 g cream cheese room temperature
- 30 g unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 tablespoon milk room temperature
Instructions
Please read ALL instructions before proceeding
Brioche Dough Day 1
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Stir with a spatula, to combine
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs and water, then add to the flour mix
- Using the spatula, mix ingredients until combined
- Attach dough hook to stand mixer, place bowl on mixer, then mix at a medium speed
- While on medium speed, start adding the soft butter (add a tablespoon at a time and make sure it's incorporated before the next addition. This will take around 20 minutes)
- Transfer mixture to a well oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight
Brioche Dough Day 2
- Grease a 23cm x 23cm baking pan, then line with baking paper
- Remove dough from fridge and gently press on the dough to deflate it
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface (you may need to sprinkle more flour as you roll)
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to a rectangle, measuring 40cm x 35cm (use an offset spatula or ruler to push edges back straight)
- While dough is still reasonably cool, spread with the cinnamon filling (make sure you've melted the butter for the filling beforehand) See cinnamon filling below.
Cinnamon Filling
- Melt butter in microwave, then allow to cool for at least 20 minutes
- In a small bowl, combine dark brown sugar and cinnamon
- Using a pastry brush, spread the butter onto the dough. Spread to all edges, leaving a small border (a couple of centimetres) along one of the longer sides
- Sprinkle the combined sugar and cinnamon over the butter, then press it into the butter
- From the long side that's covered with cinnamon filling, start rolling tightly to form a long log, finishing at the side with no filling on the border
- Using a large serrated knife, cut log into thirds, then each third into 3 again (giving you 9 rolls). Cut only towards you, rather than a sawing motion. The dough is soft and this will stop it from stretching
- Place the 9 rolls into the lined baking pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in the oven on defrost setting (or a warm, draught-free spot) for 1½ hours
- Preheat oven to 165 celsius fan-forced (if you've been using the oven to rise the dough, remove it before preheating!)
- Bake rolls for 25 minutes, until golden brown
- Once cooked, remove from oven and make the vanilla bean glaze
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- In a medium bowl, place the icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla
- Using a hand mixer, combine until smooth
- Slowly add the milk, while mixing, until it reaches your desired consistency
- Spread glaze over cinnamon rolls while they're still hot
Notes
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