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These homemade cinnamon rolls are perfect for holidays, weekends, or anytime you want to treat yourself and your family to something special. They are so soft, with a buttery brown sugar filling, and melty cream cheese icing that soaks into every swirl. Pouring heavy cream over the rolls before baking takes them to the next level and keeps them ultra gooey and rich.
“These are the best cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning an easy morning Sunday brunch!”
-Becky
If you love bakery style cinnamon rolls that are soft in the center and slathered in cream cheese frosting, this is your recipe. They are pretty simple to make and you get soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls, fresh out of the oven! I love making them for Christmas mornings or family breakfasts.
Need more simple brunch recipes? Try this simple Egg Bites recipe, Double Chocolate Chip Muffins, Fresh Lemon Pancakes, or this crispy Millionaire Bacon.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Will Need
- milk– Helps activate the yeast.
- instant dry yeast – No need to bloom; just mix and go.
- eggs – Room temperature for best results.
- salted butter, softened – Adds flavor and richness.
- granulated sugar – Sweetens the dough just enough.
- all purpose flour – Gives the dough structure.
- heavy cream – Poured over rolls before baking for added gooeyness.
- brown sugar – Sweet and caramel like when baked.
- ground cinnamon – Brings the warm spice flavor.
- vanilla extract – Adds a little extra depth- especially if you use this homemade Vanilla.
- cream cheese, softened – Tangy and creamy.
- powdered sugar – Sweet and fluffy.
A full list of ingredients is included in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- Maple Glaze: Swap the cream cheese frosting with a maple glaze for a fall twist.
- Add Nuts: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the filling for crunch.
- Orange Cinnamon Rolls: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the filling and frosting.
- Mini rolls: Cut into 16 smaller rolls instead of 8 for bite-sized treats.
- Caramel rolls: Skip the frosting and bake them over a layer of caramel sauce.
- Pumpkin spice: Add pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice to the filling for a seasonal version.
How to Make Gooey Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes until the yeast blooms.
- Add the eggs, butter, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture, then stir to combine.
- Gradually add the flour and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5–6 minutes with a hook or 7–10 minutes by hand. Once done, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours or until doubled.
- While dough is rising, make the filling in a small bowl. Stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until a thick paste forms.
- Once the cinnamon roll dough has doubled, place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough and cut into 8 equal strips, about 2 inches wide.
- Roll each strip into a tight spiral, forming the cinnamon roll.
- Place rolls in a greased or parchment lined 9×11 baking pan or baking dish. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes, or until puffy and touching.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour the heavy cream gently over the tops of the rolls before baking. Bake for 22–26 minutes until golden brown and set.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk and beat until light and fluffy.
- Spread frosting generously over the warm cinnamon rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve immediately while warm and gooey.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Cold eggs or butter can keep the dough from rising properly.
- Don’t skip the second rise: It’s key for getting that light and fluffy texture.
- Pouring cream is the secret: The heavy cream over the top creates that rich, gooey center.
- Make ahead tip: You can prep the rolls the night before and let them rise in the refrigerator, then bake the next morning. They are great for Christmas mornings or family brunches!
- Salted or Unsalted Butter: If you’re using unsalted butter instead of salted, just add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt to the dough and filling.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Yes! Assemble the rolls, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before baking.
Heavy cream helps make them extra gooey, but you can use half and half in a pinch. Whole milk won’t be quite as rich but still works too.
Store them in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave for the best texture.
Instant yeast can be mixed directly into the dough, while active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in warm liquid first. You can use either, but if using active dry yeast, let it sit in the warm milk for 5–10 minutes until foamy before adding the other ingredients.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
Fall Recipes
Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Holidays
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Breakfast
Homemade Pop Tarts
Breakfast
Banana Bread Muffins
If you have tried this recipe or any others from Celebrating Simply, I’d love it if you would leave a ⭐ star rating and share your thoughts in the ✍️ comments below. Your feedback means a lot!
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 9×11 Baking Dish (or 9×13)
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup for rolling the dough
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup salted butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes until the yeast blooms.
- Add the eggs, butter, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture, then stir to combine.
- Gradually add the flour and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5–6 minutes with a hook or 7–10 minutes by hand. Once done, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours or until doubled.
- In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until a thick paste forms.
- Once the cinnamon roll dough has doubled, place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough into a 16×12 inch rectangle.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Slice into 8 equal strips (about 2 inches wide) and roll each into a tight spiral.
- Place rolls in a greased or parchment lined 9×11 baking pan or baking dish. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes, or until puffy and touching.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour the heavy cream gently over the tops of the rolls before baking. Bake for 22–26 minutes until golden brown and set.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk and beat until light and fluffy.
- Spread frosting generously over the warm cinnamon rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve immediately while warm and gooey.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients: Cold eggs or butter can keep the dough from rising properly.
- Don’t skip the second rise: It’s key for getting that light and fluffy texture.
- Pouring cream is the secret: The heavy cream over the top creates that rich, gooey center.
- Make ahead tip: You can prep the rolls the night before and let them rise in the refrigerator, then bake the next morning. They are great for Christmas mornings or family brunches!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The nutritional info is a little bit confusing at times. For example, your Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. Are the calories and carbs for 1 cinnamon roll or all 8 cinnamon rolls? I’ve noticed the other recipes have a similar problem. You have a marvelous website and wonderful recipes. However, I have to be mindful of my carb intake, as well as my calorie consumption, because I don’t want to gain weight. I am a diabetic and have to be careful with what I eat. It’s not just you, I have noticed other sites don’t have a serving per person in their nutritional info.
Hi June! Thank you for the feedback. The nutritional content is for one serving, which I put in one cinnamon roll as a serving. I will look into the recipe card format a little more to see if there is a way to make that option more clear. Thanks! Rebecca
This is a great recipe, my grandkids love these
I love making these cinnamon rolls the day before and then baking them fresh in the morning!