Description
Soft, pillowy homemade cinnamon rolls made with simple pantry staples. This budget-friendly recipe yields bakery-quality results with a fluffy texture and sweet cinnamon filling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 3.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
- 1 cup Warm Milk
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 large Egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Brown Sugar (for filling)
- 2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon (for filling)
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons Milk (for glaze)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract (for glaze)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well and pour in yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- While dough rises, mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl to create the filling.
- Punch down risen dough and roll out into a 12×16 inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the surface.
- Roll dough tightly into a log from the long edge. Cut into 12 equal rolls and place in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Cover rolls and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, rotating pan halfway through.
- While rolls bake, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth to make the glaze.
- Let rolls cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then drizzle with glaze while still warm. Serve immediately.
Notes
Ensure yeast is fresh and milk is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast. Do not over-knead the dough to prevent tough rolls. For consistent sizing, use a bench scraper. If your kitchen is cold, rise the dough in a turned-off oven with the light on. You can substitute almond milk for dairy, though texture may be less rich.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
Keywords: cinnamon rolls, brunch recipe, budget-friendly baking, homemade pastries, easy yeast dough, fluffy rolls, weekend breakfast