Is there any greater joy in life than eating a fresh cinnamon roll right out of the pan? To answer that question: No, there really isn't, in my opinion.
Cinnamon rolls from scratch are one of those fantastic delicacies that not nearly enough people experience for themselves. This is made all the more tragic because of how easy it is to create them.
Let's right that wrong now and show you how to make cinnamon buns at home with cream cheese icing. This recipe uses quick yeast rising and simple ingredients to make a quality product at half the time you'd expect. The end result is so delicious you'll be kicking yourself for not trying this sooner.
Step #1. Prepare Ingredients
Pastry:
- 14 oz. flour (400 gr.)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. dry yeast
- 3.4 oz milk (100 ml.), heated to warm temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ¼ cup butter, cubed
Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg, ground
- ¼ cup butter, melted
Glaze:
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. hot water
Step #2. Combine Dry Filling Ingredients
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together and reserve.
Step #3. Prepare Cinnamon Bun Dough
Mix the flour, sugar and dry instant yeast together. Add all wet ingredients, except for the butter, and combine. Once you’re at this point, it should look a bit flaky. Add the butter and incorporate with your hands until a dough ball forms.
Step #4. Let the Dough Rest
Cover the dough loosely with plastic film and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Step #5. Roll Out Dough
Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape on a floured surface, using a rolling pin (try to make it about 12" wide).
Step #6. Brush Butter Over Dough
Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Use a pastry brush to cover the dough with melted butter.
Step #7. Sprinkle Sugar on & Roll
Sprinkle the brown sugar mix on top and roll up the dough into a log.
Step #8. Cut Dough into Smaller Pieces
Cut the roll into smaller pieces (about 1.5 inches wide). You should get 8 individual pieces. Transfer to a baking pan.
Step #9. Let the Buns Rise
Let them sit, covered with a damp towel, until they double in size (about 1 hour).
Step #10. Bake the Cinnamon Buns
Bake in a 375ºF preheated oven for about 20 minutes - or until golden brown.
Step #11. Prepare the Glaze
While the cinnamon buns are baking, mix all of the glaze ingredients with an electric mixer or whisk until well combined and smooth. Set aside.
Step #12. Drizzle the Glaze Over & Serve
Drizzle the glaze over and sprinkle with some more cinnamon if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Cinnamon buns are one of the greatest desserts in the world. Now you've got the skills to craft some of these soft, pillowy, spicy, creamy, and amazing rolls of flavor all your own with minimal hassle. Take what you've learned here and explore all the possibilities this delectable dessert has to offer.
Before you bake, remember to account for spacing on the buns. Make sure they've got some breathing room and aren't touching prior to going in the oven. That lets them all bake and rise evenly and tear apart from each other without pinching all those flaky layers.
You can safely store these buns in the fridge for around a week in an airtight container. If you expect you're not going to eat them all shortly after they come out of the oven, one thing you can do to help preserve their integrity is to hold off on icing them until you're ready to eat.
That keeps the buns from getting soggy as they sit there while also making it easy to pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to heat them up after they've been in the fridge.
Did you enjoy these cinnamon buns? Let us know in the comments how they turned out!
📋Recipe
Cinnamon Buns
Ingredients
Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup butter - melted
Pastry:
- 14 oz. flour - (400 g)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. instant dry yeast
- 3.4 oz. milk - (100 ml) heated to warm temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ¼ cup butter - cubed
Glaze:
- ½ cup cream cheese - softened
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. hot water
Instructions
Filling:
- Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together and reserve.
Pastry:
- Mix the flour, sugar and dry instant yeast together. Add all wet ingredients, except for the butter, and combine. Once you’re at this point, it should look a bit flaky. Add the butter and incorporate with your hands until a dough ball forms.
- Cover the dough loosely with plastic film and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape on a floured surface, using a rolling pin (try to make it about 12" wide).
- Use a pastry brush to cover the dough with melted butter.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar mix on top and roll up the dough into a log.
- Cut the roll into smaller pieces (about 1.5 inches wide). You should get 8 individual pieces. Transfer to a baking pan. Let them sit, covered with a damp towel, until they double in size (about 1 hour).
- Bake in a 375ºF preheated oven for about 20 minutes - or until golden brown.
- Drizzle the glaze over and sprinkle with some more cinnamon if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Glaze:
- Mix all of the glaze ingredients with an electric mixer or whisk until well combined and smooth.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Looking to further enhance your cooking skills? Check out...How to Make a London Fog
Jeannie Laughlin says
Add raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruits along with walnut or other nut pieces to buns,,,yummy
Joss Dyckson says
Indeed, sounds great Jeannie!
Roberto Davila says
Can you use wheat flour instead of regular flour?
Joss Dyckson says
Hi Roberto, if you are going to use whole wheat flour, I recommend a mix of whole wheat with all purpose so that the buns rise properly. You can try using 50% whole wheat flour and 50% all-purpose flour and see how that goes. Thanks for the question and I hope that helps!