These gooey cinnamon rolls are super soft and are filled with a cinnamon brown sugar filling. They're even topped with a cream cheese glaze!
These homemade cinnamon rolls are the best cinnamon rolls you'll ever have! The rolls themselves are pillowy soft and fluffy in texture too.
The cinnamon flavor in the cinnamon filling really shines, which is perfect and exactly what you want from a classic cinnamon roll!
Looking for more cinnamon recipes? Then check out these: cinnamon roll donuts, cinnamon brownies, and cinnamon toast crunch cake.
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Why You'll Love These Gooey Rolls
- They're covered with a cream cheese frosting.
- Each bite just melts in your mouth.
- The cinnamon roll dough is soft and smooth.
- The recipe is super easy to follow for all home bakers.
- They'd be perfect to serve on Christmas morning!
A freshly baked cinnmaon roll is one of my favorite breakfast treats.
These perfect cinnamon rolls will easily become a family favorite that you can make all year long!
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.
- Milk: You need warm milk that has been heated to about 110 degrees fahrenheit so the yeast can rise.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used in every part of this recipe. This needs to be at room temperature for both the filling and icing.
- Yeast: I used active rise yeast. You could also use instant yeast or active dry yeast.
- Eggs: Two large eggs are needed for the dough. This also needs to be at room temperature.
- Brown Sugar: Use either light or dark brown sugar.
- Cream Cheese: Use the block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make this gooey cinnamon roll recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the milk. In a small bowl, heat the milk and cubed butter for about 40 seconds. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix in the yeast, sugar, beaten eggs, and salt.
Step 2: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Using the dough hook attachment, add in the flour and mix on low speed until the dough starts to form.
Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is soft and slightly tacky.
Step 3: Rise the dough. Place the dough into a lightly greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
Step 4: Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick rectangle.
Use a rubber spatula ro spread on the softened butter and then sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture on top.
Step 5: Roll and cut the dough. Roll the dough into a log and use a serrated knife to cut and make 15 rolls.
Step 6: Rise again. Place the sliced rolls into a prepared 9x13 inch baking pan, cover, and let the dough rise for 25 minutes.
Step 7: Bake. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the cinnamon buns for 20-25 minutes, or just until lightly golden brown on top.
Step 8: Frost. Immediately frost the baked rolls with the cream cheese frosting. I used a silicone spatula to spread it over every part of the rolls.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storage Tips
Keep any leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place one cinnamon roll on a plate and heat for 20-25 seconds in the microwave.
Expert Baking Tips
- Baking Pan: These rolls are baked in a 9x13-inch baking dish. I used a glass pan.
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Rising Method: If possible, I recommend the first rise to happen in the oven. If you can't, then the dough can rise on the counter. I prefer the oven method when I can.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, I recommend removing the butter, eggs, and cream cheese 1 hour before you want to start baking.
- Glaze: As soon as the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, spread the cream cheese icing over the top. That way it'll melt into all of the cracks and be so delicious!
Recipe FAQs
The cinnamon rolls rise best in a warm area and that's why I do it in the oven. If you can't, you can let the dough rise at room temperature.
I used a serrated knife to gently cut through the dough. You could also use unflavored dental floss to slice the rolls as well.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Breakfast Recipes
📖 Recipe
Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 9x13 Glass Baking Pan
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients:
Dough
- 1 cup milk, warmed to 110°F
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 packets active rise yeast (4 ½ teaspoons)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature & beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 ounces block-style cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions:
Dough
- In a microwaveable-safe bowl, heat the milk and cubed butter for 35-40 seconds, or until around 110°F. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix in the yeast, sugar, beaten eggs, and salt with a fork or whisk.
- Using the dough hook attachment, add in the flour and mix on low speed until the dough starts to form. Once formed, increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is soft and slightly tacky (2-3 minutes). If the dough sticks to your fingers when trying to remove it, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it doesn't (I usually add just 1 tablespoon).
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and once preheated turn it off, place the bowl in the oven and keep the door slightly open. Allow the dough to rise in that warm space for 1 hour.*If you can't do this in your oven, let the dough rise on the counter.
Cinnamon Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- After the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thick and into a rectangle. Use a rubber spatula to spread the softened butter all over the dough. Then sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use your hands to lightly press the mixture into the butter.
- Starting on the long end, roll the dough up as tightly as you can into a log shape. Use a serrated knife and cut off the uneven ends. Then cut the log into 15 rolls (about 1 inch wide).
- Spray a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick spray and place the rolls inside of it. Cover with a towel and rise for 25 minutes on the counter.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top and the center of the rolls are cooked through.
Cream Cheese Icing
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until combined and creamy (2-3 minutes).
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the icing over the hot cinnamon rolls and then serve.
- Keep any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
These look amazing! My husband loves cinnamon rolls I will have to make these for him. I like the amount of frosting!
My husband absolutely loves cinnamon rolls too. Hopefully you'll both love these ones!