Make soft cinnamon rolls with a stand mixer and finish with cream cheese frosting.
Allow 1–1½ hours for the first rise, 30–45 minutes for the second and 10 minutes cooling.
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Original recipe: 12 servings.
Only ingredient amounts adjust. Instructions, cooking times, package sizes and other preparation notes stay as originally written. Simple gram equivalents adjust with servings. Nutrition is per original-size serving.Check off ingredients as you go.
Combine warm milk, 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar, and the active dry yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If the mixture doesn’t foam, the yeast may be inactive — start with fresh yeast.
Tip: Water that's too hot will kill the yeast; stick to 105–115°F for best results.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or dough hook, combine the remaining granulated sugar, melted butter, egg, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Pour in the activated yeast mixture and start mixing on low. Add additional flour, a 1/4 cup at a time, switching to the dough hook if using, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 3–5 minutes).
Tip: Stop adding flour once the dough is slightly tacky — too much flour results in dry rolls.
Knead the dough in the mixer on low for 4–6 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1–1½ hours).
Tip: Use the dough-hook speed and batch limits in your mixer manual; KitchenAid specifies speed 2 for kneading. Stop if the motor strains or becomes hot.
Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12x18 inch rectangle. Spread the softened filling butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly on top. Press the filling lightly into the butter so it adheres.
Tip: If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5–10 minutes to relax the gluten.
Starting from a long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal and trim the ends for neat rolls. Cut the log into 12 even pieces using a sharp knife or bench scraper and place cut-side up in a greased 9x13 inch pan or a half-sheet pan, leaving a little space between rolls. Cover and let rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
Tip: For taller, pull-apart rolls, place them farther apart on the pan; for classic pull-apart buns, set them closer together so they rise into each other.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 18–22 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through. If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil toward the end of baking.
Tip: Ovens vary — start checking at 15 minutes to avoid over-browning.
While the rolls cool for about 10 minutes, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt, then gradually add powdered sugar until you reach a spreadable consistency. If the frosting is too thick, thin with a teaspoon of milk at a time.
Tip: For a tangier frosting, add a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm (but not piping hot) rolls so it melts slightly into the swirls. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip: If making ahead, warm individual rolls in the microwave for 10–12 seconds before serving.
Equipment: Stand Mixer / Oven buying guide
NUTRITION & YOUR NEXT MEAL
Choose a recipe version below. Estimates are per recipe serving; optional ingredients, brands and preparation can change the result.
Estimated nutrition per serving · 1/12 of the defined batch
One of twelve equal rolls with all filling and frosting. Flour fixed at 3¼ cups (406 g), powdered sugar at 1¾ cups (210 g). Whole milk and butter. Extra dusting flour excluded.
Calculated using USDA FoodData Central reference foods. Not laboratory analysis or kitchen-tested nutrition. About the reference data.
There’s something utterly irresistible about warm cinnamon rolls straight from the oven: the tender dough, the sweet cinnamon-sugar spiral, and a glossy blanket of cream cheese frosting that melts into every crevice. This recipe is built for home bakers who want consistent results without spending all day at the counter. Using a stand mixer makes the dough easy to bring together and knead to the perfect elasticity, while a good oven ensures even browning and gentle oven spring.
What makes these cinnamon rolls special is the balance of a soft, enriched dough and a properly spiced filling, finished with a tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting. The dough is enriched with butter and egg for tenderness and structure, and it’s forgiving: if you prefer to mix by hand or with a hand mixer, the method adapts. Follow the resting times and temperature cues here for reliably fluffy rolls every time.
This formula uses a slightly enriched dough (butter, egg, and milk) that stays soft after baking and keeps the rolls tender on subsequent days. The stand mixer takes the guesswork out of kneading: with a dough hook you can develop enough gluten for structure without overworking the dough. The filling balances brown sugar and cinnamon so it caramelizes as the rolls bake, yielding a deeply flavored spiral.
The cream cheese frosting is simple but impactful — cooling the rolls slightly before spreading prevents the frosting from melting away while still allowing it to sink into the gooey center. For a lighter finish, use slightly less frosting or thin it with a splash of milk.
Key appliances for this recipe are a stand mixer and a reliable oven. A mid-size stand mixer with a dough hook makes mixing and kneading hands-off and consistent; if you don’t own a stand mixer, a strong set of arms and a silicone spatula will work, or consider a quality hand mixer as an alternative (see buying guide below).
For baking, a quarter- or half-sheet pan or a 9×13″ pan is ideal depending on how you want your rolls to rise and touch one another. For home bakers looking for durable pans and tools, consider upgrading to a heavy-duty half sheet pan that promotes even browning. Shop a popular option here: KitchenAid Stand Mixer on Amazon and a favorite pan here: Half Sheet Baking Pan on Amazon. A simple bench scraper or pastry cutter also makes portioning rolls easy: Bench Scraper on Amazon.
If you want a short guide to choose alternatives or more tools, our buying guides can help. Check our roundup of Best Baking Sheets for Home Bakers for pans and heat distribution tips, and if you’re considering a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, see Best Stand Mixers for Home Bakers.
In broad strokes: bloom the yeast, mix and knead the dough in the stand mixer, allow a first rise until doubled, roll out and add the cinnamon filling, roll up and cut into portions, finish with a second, shorter rise in the pan, then bake until golden. After a brief cooling, spread the cream cheese frosting so it melts into the swirls. Timing is simple and the dough is forgiving, which makes this a great recipe for bakers of varied experience.
Serve warm with coffee or tea for breakfast or brunch. Leftovers taste great warmed briefly in the microwave for 10–12 seconds. For a special touch, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the frosting, or add a tablespoon of orange zest to the frosting for a citrus lift.
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