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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.

Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.

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

Cinnamon bun ingredients prepped on white background.

Pastry:

  • 14 oz. flour (400 gr.)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp. dry yeast
  • 3.4 oz milk (100 ml.), heated to warm temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 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

A teaspoon of cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together and reserve.

Step #3. Prepare Cinnamon Bun Dough

Cinnamon bun dough ingredients in a metallic bowl, cinnamon sticks on the side.

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.

Cinnamon bun dough ingredients in a metallic bowl.
Cinnamon bun dough ingredients in a metallic bowl.
Cinnamon bun dough getting mixed.
Cinnamon bun dough getting mixed.

Step #4. Let the Dough Rest

Dough ball in bowl with plastic wrap.

Cover the dough loosely with plastic film and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Step #5. Roll Out Dough

Dough ball and rolling pin on marble counter top.

Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape on a floured surface, using a rolling pin (try to make it about 12″ wide).

Rolling pin with cinnamon bun pastry on marble counter top.

Step #6. Brush Butter Over Dough

Pastry brush and cinnamon bun pastry rolled out.

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Use a pastry brush to cover the dough with melted butter.

Step #7. Sprinkle Sugar on & Roll

Cinnamon bun dough with brown sugar on it, marble background.

Sprinkle the brown sugar mix on top and roll up the dough into a log.

Raw cinnamon bun roll on wooden cutting board.

Step #8. Cut Dough into Smaller Pieces

Raw cinnamon buns on wooden cutting board.

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

Raw cinnamon buns.

Let them sit, covered with a damp towel, until they double in size (about 1 hour).

Step #10. Bake the Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon buns.

Bake in a 375ºF preheated oven for about 20 minutes – or until golden brown.

Step #11. Prepare the Glaze

A bowl with flour and spatula.

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.

A bowl with flour mixture and whisk.

Step #12. Drizzle the Glaze Over & Serve

Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.

Drizzle the glaze over and sprinkle with some more cinnamon if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.
Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.

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.

Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.
Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.

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!

Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.

Cinnamon Buns

Joss D
Cinnamon rolls from scratch are one of those fantastic delicacies that not nearly enough people experience for themselves.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine Swedish
Servings 8 buns
Calories 466 kcal

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.
    A teaspoon of cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.

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.
    Cinnamon bun dough getting mixed.
  • Cover the dough loosely with plastic film and let it rest for 10 minutes.
    Dough ball in bowl with plastic wrap.
  • Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape on a floured surface, using a rolling pin (try to make it about 12" wide).
    Rolling pin with cinnamon bun pastry on marble counter top.
  • Use a pastry brush to cover the dough with melted butter.
    Pastry brush and cinnamon bun pastry rolled out.
  • Sprinkle the brown sugar mix on top and roll up the dough into a log.
    Cinnamon bun dough with brown sugar on it, marble background.
  • 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).
    Raw cinnamon buns.
  • Bake in a 375ºF preheated oven for about 20 minutes – or until golden brown.
    Cinnamon buns.
  • Drizzle the glaze over and sprinkle with some more cinnamon if desired. Serve and enjoy!
    Cinnamon Buns with cream cheese frosting drizzled on top in white serving dish.

Glaze:

  • Mix all of the glaze ingredients with an electric mixer or whisk until well combined and smooth.
    A bowl with flour mixture and whisk.

Equipment

Baking sheet
Whisk

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 8gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 166mgPotassium: 138mgFiber: 3gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 595IUCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.

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