These super soft cinnamon rolls are thee SOFTEST and FLUFFIEST cinnamon rolls you will ever have. They are absolutely delicious and so easy to make. The best part about this recipe is that it can be made quickly and you achieve a true classic yeast dough cinnamon roll complete with 2 assisted rises. Yet, it all comes together within 2 hours!

Yup – warm, fluffy, gooey, sweet delicious super soft cinnamon rolls just 2 hours away from your mouth.

Cinnamon rolls will always have my heart. It is not only a Christmas morning tradition to make cinnamon rolls. And well, whenever I feel like it! Sometimes a girl just craves a homemade cinnamon roll! Can you blame me?

These super soft cinnamon rolls use a yeast dough, making them a classic expected treat, yet a surprisingly soft and fluffy texture that melts in your mouth. Topped while warm, with a cream cheese glaze…are you drooling yet? Without further ado, let’s not spend anymore time drooling and get right to the ingredients!

Ingredients & Substitutions for Soft Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are made with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. You may not have instant yeast on hand, but it is easy to find at your grocery store.

Soft Cinnamon Roll Dough

• Bread Flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content which results in a softer dough creating the most fluffy cinnamon rolls.
• Sugar: Granulated white sugar is used in the dough to add a touch of sweetness and help activate the yeast.
• Unsalted Butter: We use melted unsalted butter in the dough to add delicious flavor and moisture to the dough. If all you have is salted butter, that will work just fine as a substitution. Just omit the salt from the dough recipe. You can also substitute for a vegan butter for a dairy free option.
• Milk: Whole milk is recommended, but to be honest I usually only have 2% milk on hand. This works just fine and is normally what I use. Whole milk has a higher fat content and therefore is always best when it comes to baking anything requiring milk. I would not recommend using anything less than 2% fat. We warm the milk to around 110 degrees Fahrenheit, which helps activate the yeast. Be careful not to overheat your milk or you will kill the yeast. You can also sub milk for a nut milk such as almond or cashew milk for a dairy free option.
• Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast: It is important to use rapid rise yeast or instant yeast for this recipe in order for the dough to rise quickly. If you only have active dry yeast, that will work too but it will take longer for the . This is what will allow our dough to rise and to rise quickly. You can buy active dry yeast readily available at major grocery stores and likely smaller private ones too. The brands I use most often include Fleischmann’s, and SAF instant yeast.
• Eggs: Eggs are a binder and adds richness to the dough.
• Salt: Salt rounds out the sweetness and flavor. Kosher salt or pink salt both work here, as long as it is fine and not coarse.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

• Softened Butter: We use softened room temperature unsalted butter. You want the butter to be soft enough so that it is easy to spread on the dough. You should be able to easily make an indent in it with your fingertip. The dough is very soft and the last thing you want is butter that is too firm to spread. If my butter is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it is easy to spread. Some cinnamon roll recipes use melted butter but I find that using softened butter actually helps the cinnamon sugar mixture stick better and the softened butter holds the dough together pefectly. If you do not have unsalted butter, you can use salted butter.
• Brown Sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar here. Keep in mind that dark brown sugar has more molasses. I typically always use light brown sugar as it is usually more accessible in stores and what I have on hand more often. Both versions are delicious. Dark brown sugar will give you a richer molasses flavor.
• Cinnamon: A must! What would cinnamon rolls be without cinnamon? Any cinnamon powder will do, but I aim to have high quality cinnamon on hand. True Ceylon cinnamon is nutritious, delicious, and rich. I use it for so many things but probably in the largest amount in cinnamon rolls of course.
• Pinch of Salt: This is optional but can help tone down the sweetness.

Cream Cheese Icing

• Cream Cheese: Room temperature cream cheese will be easier to whip up and make smooth. Cream cheese icing adds a delicious tanginess that pairs perfectly with sweet cinnamon rolls.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioner’s sugar, this is key to any icing or glaze.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds flavor. You can also use vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste. The tiny flecks of vanilla bean really add a beautiful touch to the look of the icing and of course the flavor.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Cream helps to thin out the glaze to your desired consistency. If you are serving the cinnamon rolls warm, which is how I recommend cinnamon rolls always be served, you will not need a lot of cream. The warmth from the cinnamon rolls will help thin out the icing. If cinnamon rolls are at room temperature, you will want to use a little more cream so that the icing thins enough and is easy to spread. You can also substitute for milk instead of heavy cream, just keep in mind that milk is thinner and you will use even less. (Tip: If you add too much milk on accident, just add in more powdered sugar and continue to whisk and adjust until you reach the desired consistency).
• Salt: Salt balances out the sweetness and tanginess of the icing. You can leave it out if you’d like. The key is only adding in a pinch to tame the sweetness and compliment the tangy cream cheese. If you use too much, you could ruin the icing by making it too salty. You can never take it out, but you can add more in so error on the side of caution here and only use a tiny pinch. If it makes you nervous, leave it out.

Can I make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time?

Yes, you sure can! This dough has two rises. You can choose to allow the dough to rise at room temperature instead of the assisted rises using the oven as described in this recipe, but keep in mind it will take twice as long. Sometimes you have the time to make these ahead of time and not last minute. This means you can skip the assisted rises or only do the first one.

In this recipe, we use the oven to assist with these rises so that they happen quickly and speed things up! Alternatively, you can prep the dough up until step the night before if you prefer to make it ahead of time.

You’ll want to follow through the steps up until step 10 where you cover the rolls in the baking pan with plastic wrap. Do not do the second assisted rise in the oven. Instead, the second rise will happen overnight in the refrigerator. Ensure that your rolls are covered with plastic wrap so that air does not get in and dry out your cinnamon rolls. In the morning, take your cinnamon rolls out of the refrigerator an hour before you plan to bake them. Once ready to bake, uncover the rolls, and pour the heavy whipping cream over the risen rolls. Then bake, spread icing evenly over each roll, and devour warm!

How to Make Soft Cinnamon Roll Dough

Warm milk in the microwave for 45 seconds or until 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Do NOT overheat or you could kill the yeast. Stir in yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside for five minutes to allow the yeast to activate.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add in the bread flour, sugar, salt, melted butter, and milk yeast mixture.

Add in the eggs (room temperature) and mix on low speed for five minutes until a soft dough forms and no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.

Cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap, place in the warmed oven that is now turned off. Let rise for 45 minutes minimum. If you do not want to do the assisted rise and have more time, let the dough rise covered for 1.5 – 2 hours at room temperature or until doubled in size.

Assembly

Roll dough out after first rise into a rough rectangle on a lightly floured surface. You can roll this into a perfect rectangle, it’s up to you, but don’t stress about this part. You just want the dough to be roughly 12 inches by 18 inches.

Spread the softened butter over the dough evenly. Spread cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top of the butter.

Roll dough into a tight log. This dough will be soft, so you want to be gentle and take your time rolling it into a beautiful log. The nicer you roll your log, the easier it will be to cut your rolls and ensure they stay together.

Next we will cut the log into 9 equal pieces. Each roll will be approximately 1.5 – 2 inches in height before rising. This recipe makes 9 large fluffy cinnamon rolls. You should use unscented dental floss to get the cleanest slice or a sharp serrated knife to cut your cinnamon rolls. This dough is soft, so take your time with slicing.

I recommend putting the end pieces end side down in your baking dish. This will make sure you always have a really pretty swirl on each roll.

Hint: Dental floss will give you the smoothest cleanest cut because this is a very soft dough. Be sure to use unscented dental floss. Start by using a bench scraper to make an indent on the log to measure 9 even rolls. If your rolls are more rustic looking, do not worry! Trust me they will look beautiful once they rise in the pan! Seriously, do not stress too much about how they look before they rise.

Prepare the Baking Dish

Next, place your rolls in a 9×9 or larger deep sided pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray or buttered generously. You’ll want to leave space in between so that they have room to do their second rise. I find a 9×9 square baking pan that has higher sides to be perfect. These rolls do rise generously and grow even more when you bake them. Tall sides are a must!

Cover the rolls with plastic wrap or a lightly damp tea towel and place them back into the oven (that was previously heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and shut off.) **Please make sure your oven is off, we do not want to bake the rolls yet, this is an assisted rise.**

Leave in the warmed oven (that is now off) for 20-30 minutes until fully risen. They will be nice and fluffy and have filled the pan completely.

Now, are you still with me? Good, because we’re getting to the really good part and we are not far from having a delicious fluffy, soft, and gooey cinnamon roll on your plate.

Once the rolls are risen, take them out of the oven, uncover them, and turn the oven back on to preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Time to Bake

Prior to baking, pour heavy whipping cream over the risen rolls. This ensures a nice gooey and soft cinnamon roll after baking. This cream should not be skipped. If you don’t do this, your cinnamon rolls will still be good, but they won’t be the BEST they can be. Aim to pour the cream in between and around the sides, but don’t worry if it lands on top. Heavy whipping cream takes these rolls to the next level and gives a beautiful soft texture to the dough, as well as a nice crisp sheen to the top during baking. It is best to pour room temperature cream over the rolls because it spreads and thins easier.

Tip: Because these rolls rise quite high and could spill over the top a bit while baking, place the 9×9 pan on top of a sheet pan to bake. This will help catch any spillage. This does not usually happen, but if you are using a shorter pan, it is best to be on the safe side and use the baking sheet underneath.

Place in your oven on the middle rack and bake for 25 – 32 minutes until golden brown on top and baked in the middle. Keep in mind you do not want to overbake, but you will want to ensure the center is baked through.

You can test with a toothpick that comes out clean and doesn’t snag the dough as it comes out or ensure the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The length of time very much depends on your oven and the bakeware you are using. This is one of the reasons why one of my best baking tips is ensuring you have an oven thermometer. Start checking on your rolls around the 25 minute mark.

Equipment for Soft Cinnamon Rolls

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out – the thickness of your rolls, bakeware material, and oven temperature. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up compared to metal pans. Keep in mind that stone/ceramic dishes retain heat for longer, but will take longer to bake also.

I highly recommend using a taller sided pan so that your cinnamon rolls don’t leak and spill over the sides. If your risen cinnamon rolls are as tall as your pan before you bake, you could get an overspill in your oven.

Funny story, it actually happened to the pan in the photos above. It just wasn’t tall enough and it overspilled. I have used this square baking pan with success and it is my go to for this recipe. Always use a bigger pan than you think with taller sides and if you are worried or want to be cautious, put a sheet pan underneath your cinnamon roll pan before baking. This will help catch any drippings so that they do not burn or build up on the bottom of your oven. Even if they overspill, your rolls will turn out amazing!

How to Serve and Store Cinnamon Rolls

Serve cinnamon rolls warm fresh out of the oven for the best quality and taste. Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and warm in the microwave before serving. Top with icing right before serving.

You can freeze baked cinnamon rolls for 3 months, just be sure to wrap them well in saran wrap to avoid freezer burn. Freeze unfrosted cinnamon rolls and icing separately. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature, and warm in the oven or microwave. Then spread icing on top of warmed roll and enjoy!

Top Tip

If you have time to let the dough rise without the assisted rises, do it! Prep the dough up until right before the second assisted rise. You will stop at Step 10 below where you have the rolls in the pan. Do not do the second assisted rise in the oven. Once the rolls are in the pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator over night.

The second rise will happen overnight in the refrigerator. Long overnight rises develop even more flavor and texture. Take them out of the refrigerator in the morning and let them come to room temperature before baking. Preheat the oven, unwrap the rolls, pour the heavy cream over top, and bake! You can also prep the icing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.

Alternatively, you can skip the assisted rises and instead let the dough rise at room temperature or in a more humid spot in your home. Either way you will want to make sure they are covered with plastic wrap or tea towel. Keep in mind without the assisted rise, these cinnamon rolls will take longer to make because the rise time will double.

If you made this recipe, BE SURE TO tag me on Instagram @bakingguilty AND please leave a comment OR star rating below! We so greatly appreciate it and hope you love this recipe!

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my other roll recipes!