Cinnamon Rolls

There’s something about the smell of cinnamon rolls baking that feels like a warm hug for your kitchen. It’s that buttery, spiced sweetness that wraps you up in nostalgia, even if you didn’t grow up making them. These brioche-style cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and full of cozy flavor — the kind of treat that makes an ordinary morning feel like a celebration. Whether you make the dough fresh or let it rest overnight, the end result is the same: tender rolls swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon, topped with the dreamiest cream cheese frosting.

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Yield 12

Author SALUD! Team

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

14 Min

Inactive time

2 Hour

Total time

2 H & 44 M

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Cinnamon Rolls

I'm totally biased, but these are the BEST cinnamon rolls you could make!

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 c warm milk (110-115*)
• 1 T yeast
• 2 T sugar
• 1 t salt
• 3 T butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 3 c flour

Filling

• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 c brown sugar
• 2 T cinnamon
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1/4 t cloves
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t salt

Glaze

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c butter, softened
• 1 - 1.5 c powdered sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t vanilla bean paste
• 1-2 T milk

Instructions

1. In stand mixer, combine milk, yeast, and sugar, let your yeast bloom for 10 minutes. Then add in salt, butter, egg, and small amounts of flour + mix with dough hook on low speed.
2. Once flour starts to incorporate, turn up to medium speed. Continue to add flour until dough is tacky, not sticky. Transfer to greased bowl and let rise for an hour.
3. Mix the filling together.
4. Transfer the dough onto a floured cutting board, and roll out into a 12"x18" rectangle. Spread the filling mixture across the dough.
5. Cut into 1" strips going down the long side of the rectangle. Roll up each strip, then place each roll into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
6. Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour.
7. Bake at 325* for 14-16 minutes
8. While baking, mke the glaze by whipping together your cream cheese and butter. Add 1 c of powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, continue to mix, and add small splashes of milk until you get the consistency you want.
9. Spread the glaze on the rolls while they're still warm

Nutrition Facts

Calories

424

Fat

19 g

Sat. Fat

12 g

Carbs

59 g

Fiber

2 g

Net carbs

58 g

Sugar

34 g

Protein

5 g

Sodium

648 mg

Cholesterol

64 mg

The nutrition information is based on estimates and is not definitive.

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If there’s one baked good that never fails to impress — whether it’s brunch with friends, a slow weekend morning, or a random Tuesday when you need a little extra sweetness — it’s cinnamon rolls. There’s a reason they’re a classic: warm, pillowy dough, buttery cinnamon filling, and a swoop of cream cheese frosting that melts into every swirl. Pure comfort.

I’ve tested my fair share of cinnamon roll recipes over the years — everything from no-yeast shortcuts to overnight slow proofs — and this version has become my go-to. It’s a brioche-style dough that’s rich with butter, soft from warm milk, and perfectly balanced with a touch of sugar and salt. The process is surprisingly approachable for something that tastes like it came straight from a bakery case.

Let’s talk dough first.

It starts with the basics: yeast, warm milk, sugar, butter, salt, and flour. The dough comes together quickly, and after about an hour of rising, it’s ready to roll out. You can absolutely let it rise overnight in the fridge (and honestly, sometimes I prefer it that way). The slow rise deepens the flavor and makes your morning baking a breeze — all you have to do is roll, fill, slice, and bake.

Once it’s doubled in size, roll the dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle — not too thick, not too thin. This gives you the perfect base for the filling, which is, let’s be honest, where all the magic happens.

The filling is a mix of one stick of butter, a full cup of brown sugar, plenty of cinnamon, and a touch of the warm spices that make fall feel like fall — ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Don’t skip the pinch of salt here; it keeps everything balanced and adds depth. Spread the filling evenly from edge to edge so every bite is perfectly swirled with buttery, spiced sweetness.

Now for my favorite cinnamon roll hack: instead of rolling the whole thing up like a jelly roll, I use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 1-inch strips (cut perpendicular to the long side). Then, just roll each strip up individually and nestle them into a greased 9x13 pan. Not only does this make for evenly sized rolls, but it also keeps all that filling neatly in place — no sugary spills or messy seams.

Let them rise again for about 45 minutes, just until they’re puffed and ready. I like to bake them low and slow — 325°F for 14 to 16 minutes — so they stay soft and golden without drying out.

And while they bake, it’s frosting time.

This cream cheese frosting is my forever favorite. It’s tangy, buttery, sweet, and rich — everything a good frosting should be. I use 4 ounces of cream cheese, ¼ cup of browned butter (regular butter works too, but the nutty flavor of browned butter takes it to another level), 1 cup of powdered sugar (or up to 1½ cups if you like it sweeter), a pinch of salt, vanilla bean paste, and just a splash of milk to loosen it up.

When the rolls come out of the oven, spread the frosting over while they’re still warm — it melts slightly into all the nooks and crannies, creating that glossy, creamy layer that’s impossible to resist.

The first bite? Buttery, soft, and laced with caramelized cinnamon sugar. The kind of bite that makes you forget you were ever on a timeline or had somewhere to be.

These cinnamon rolls are weekend luxury in edible form — but also simple enough to make on a whim. The dough is forgiving, the filling is foolproof, and that frosting? It’s the definition of worth it.

If you’re planning ahead, you can easily make these the night before: prep the dough, let it rise in the fridge overnight, then roll, fill, and bake in the morning. Your future self will thank you.

Serve them warm with hot coffee, a little background music, and the satisfaction of knowing you made something that feels like a hug in pastry form.