Pillow Soft Cinnamon Rolls (Printable)

Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls with buttery swirl and cream cheese glaze. Perfect for breakfast or brunch.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
04 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tsp salt

→ Filling

08 - 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, very soft

→ Cream Cheese Glaze

11 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
15 - 2-3 tbsp milk

# How To Make:

01 - Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until frothy, about 5-7 minutes.
02 - Add remaining sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt to yeast mixture. Mix until combined. Gradually add flour, mixing until soft dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on floured surface for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
04 - Punch down dough and roll into 16x12-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface.
05 - Spread soft butter evenly over dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
06 - Starting from long edge, tightly roll up dough. Pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal rolls.
07 - Place rolls in greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 35-45 minutes.
08 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown.
09 - While rolls bake, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk for spreadable glaze.
10 - Let rolls cool for 10 minutes, then spread glaze over warm rolls. Serve immediately.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • These rolls maintain their cloud-like softness even the next day, something I discovered by accident when hiding the last one in my napkin during a particularly crowded brunch.
  • The balance of cinnamon warmth with the tangy cream cheese glaze creates this perfect moment where you close your eyes after the first bite without even meaning to.
02 -
  • If your dough feels too sticky after mixing, resist the urge to add more flour immediately – instead, let it rest for five minutes and then reassess, a trick I learned after ruining a batch with too much flour that turned my pillowy rolls into dinner rolls.
  • The temperature of your rising spot dramatically affects these rolls – I discovered my oven with just the light on creates the perfect environment after spending years wondering why my rolls would rise perfectly in summer but stay stubbornly dense in winter.
03 -
  • Use dental floss instead of a knife to cut your cinnamon roll log – slide it under the log, cross the ends on top, and pull – this prevents the squishing that can happen with even the sharpest knife.
  • When measuring your flour, spoon it lightly into your measuring cup rather than scooping directly from the bag – this prevents compaction that can lead to using up to 25% more flour than the recipe intends.
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