Tender and Fluffy, the Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting. Made with a couple of secret ingredients, these will be Classic in your home!
Growing up, we had a big freezer out in our garage. It was purchased because with such a large family (8 of us!), we needed to buy extra of everything, on the cheap. So at some point, Mom and Dad decided to buy an entire “side of beef” that practically filled the freezer, but at 1/3 the price of the grocery store, how could they not? It lasted us a loooonnnnggg time, that beef. Anyway, once the beef stores started decreasing, Mom would bake. And one of the best thing she baked (in large quantity) was Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting. She’d bake dozens at a time and pack them up in foil for us to reheat on Sunday mornings. I imagine her spending all day, rolling out the dough, filling it with butter and cinnamon, tightly rolling it up, slicing, baking, frosting. Sometimes she did this on weekends when we could see (and help!) the magic happen. A wonderful way to spend a day, if you ask me. We felt like the luckiest kids in the world!
And, truth be told, we were, because those things were not only made with love, they were scrumptious! I’ve been on the hunt for her recipe for years now. It came from her personal bible, Good Housekeeping Magazine, circa 1970, I would guess. I finally gave up the hunt and put together my own recipe. If anyone out there has that original GH recipe, let me know! I’d be thrilled to have a copy!
In searching for that recipe, I looked in my Grandma’s memorial Cookbook, thinking maybe it was there. It wasn’t, but the closest recipe I found was from my Great Aunt Sarah. These women were obviously way better cooks than I am, because for me, this instruction is not going to result in Cinnamon Rolls:
I just need a bit more information. How much flour? Time? Temperature? I certainly have some work to do. Kudos to Aunt Sarah. Like I said, better cooks than I am.
So I set about putting together a recipe I think is as good as the one my Mom made. My Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe was adapted and inspired by this one, from which I used the secret of pouring cream over the rolls prior to baking, and also a recipe I found in the Culinary Institute of America’s Professional Chef, a book that has recipes that will feed a restaurant full of people, but also some good tips. The tidbit I used from that book is to add Cardamom to the sweet roll dough. This was a bit of genius! A subtle flavor which complements the cinnamon, it really makes the dough special. I highly suggest adding cardamom to your sweet roll dough. You won’t be disappointed!
Although I didn’t make a freezer full of Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting, the 15 I made were enjoyed as much as those I had as a kid. Baked with love and a little cream and cardamom. Enjoy!
If you love brunch recipes, be sure to check out my Easy Cheddar Onion Scones, and these Cream Biscuits with Black Forest Ham and Cheese. Both quick, easy, yummy brunch recipes!
PIN Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting for later ->
Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls Cream Cheese Frosting
These Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting are so scrumptious, you may just want to double the recipe from the get-go! Although they take a bit of time, they are fairly simple to make. You will likely need an electric mixer with a dough hook, or be ready to knead for 10-15 minutes for the dough to be elastic enough to roll out nicely.
For me, this recipe made 15 rolls. I placed 12 in a 9×13 pan, and the remaining 3 in a loaf pan to bake.
- Prep Time: 45 min active, 3 hr inactive
- Cook Time: 20-22 min
- Total Time: 3.5 hours
- Yield: 15 rolls 1x
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 c milk (whole or 2%), very warm (around 120F) SEE NOTE 1
- 1 pkg (.25 oz) Instant Yeast
- 1/3 c Butter, very soft, almost melted
- 1/2 c Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 t Salt
- 2 Lg eggs, room temperature
- 4 1/2 c AP Flour, plus more if needed
- 1/2 t Ground Cardamom
For the Filling:
- 1/2 c butter, softened to easily spread
- 3/4 c Brown Sugar
- 1/4 c Granulated Sugar
- 2 1/2 T Ground Cinnamon
- 2 T Cornstarch
- 1/3 c Heavy Cream
For the Frosting:
- 4 oz. (1/2 brick) Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 3 T butter, softened (I used the remainder of the stick from the dough or about 2.5 T)
- 3/4 c Confectioner’s Sugar
- 1/4 t Salt
- 1/2 t Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- Warm milk in the microwave until very warm or to temperature noted on your yeast packet. Pour it into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast on top of the milk and whisk in. Wait 5-10 minutes until it begins to bubble or foam a bit, then, using the paddle attachment, at Medium-low speed, add the butter, sugar, salt, eggs and cardamom.
- At low speed, mix in the flour until incorporated, then remove the paddle attachment. Replace with dough hook. Knead at Medium to Medium-high speed until dough is elastic and still a bit sticky or “tacky”. This should take 5-7 minutes or so.
- Oil a large bowl, and form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1-2 hours, depending how warm your kitchen is. While the dough rises, make the filling, and prepare your pan(s) by lining with parchment, and coating with cooking spray or butter. I used a 9×13 pan for the first 12 rolls, along with a 9×5 loaf pan for the 3 extras.
Make the Filling:
- In a small-medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch.
- On a large, flour-covered surface, roll the dough into a rectangle that is around 14×18”.
- Spread the softened butter over the entire rectangle.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the butter.
- Starting at the long side of the rectangle, tightly roll the dough into a log, trying not to stretch the dough. The tighter you roll it, the better!
- Using a sharp knife (or dental floss!), slice the log into 1 1/4 – 1 1/2” thick slices. Place in pan(s).
- Cover pans and set them in a warm place until doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F.
- Brush cream over the rolls.
- Bake rolls until golden and baked through, 20-22 minutes. (Mine took 20 mins)
Make the Frosting:
- You can cool the rolls completely, or at least 15 minutes prior to frosting.
- In a bowl, mix together all of the frosting ingredients.
- Spread over baked rolls.
Notes
- Please follow specific directions on your package of Instant Yeast. Mine said 120-130F. I realize others give varying temperatures, and instructions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/15 recipe
Keywords: Cinnamon Rolls
These look so fluffy and delicious! I love how you’ve added cardamom, the flavor must be so subtle. And I bet the cream on top gives a lovely texture. Brilliant tips!
I learned to cook from my grandmother, who rarely used standard measurements (an eggshell of water in the noodles). So I can totally see how your aunt can work off of that recipe. If I were to write down a recipe before I started blogging, that’s probably how it would look! Once you have the amounts of liquids and other additions, you just add flour until the dough ‘looks right.’ And the fillings – you just eyeball it!
Hi, Kelly! My grandmothers both cooked and baked that way, too. I think that’s why when someone finally stood in the kitchen with them to record a recipe, it never quite tasted like Grandma’s. But good to have something to pass down to future generations. I think I should challenge myself with Aunt Sarah’s recipe. Might take a few tries, but I could probably figure it out! Thank you for visiting and sharing your story!
Oh my goodness! I have SUCH a craving for these now, they look so good! I love cinnamon and with cream cheese frosting too?! Heaven.
Thanks Caroline! It all starts with a craving, doesn’t it? Then, before you know it, you have 15 gorgeous cinnamon rolls! Heaven indeed. Thanks for visiting!
Girl, these look SO good and I bet taste even better!! Lucky you growing up with all the homemade baked goodies, especially cinnamon rolls! This is the perfect Saturday start for me….with copious amounts of coffee. Pinned! Hope your week is off to a great start 🙂
Hi, Dawn! It’s true, we were lucky we all learned to bake at an early age. I agree, they are perfection for a weekend morning! Thanks for the PIN and your visit!
Those cinnamon rolls look out of this world! Pinned! & YUM!
Thanks, Kim! They are pretty darn scrumptious, if I say so myself! Thanks for the PIN!
What a fun story, Laura! I absolutely love cinnamon rolls, and I think I could eat them every single day. Of course, I’d have to start working out an extra round every single day, too. Haha! So this recipe sounds delicious, and I definitely learned some tips here with the cream and the cardamom. Thanks for sharing! Oh, and yes, I totally understand how much beef comes from a whole side. I know there were 8 of y’all, but still! I imagine the “Beef: It’s What’s for Dinner” saying came up a lot in your house. Haha!
I get the need for extra workouts with frequent cinnamon roll consumption. This is why I don’t make them (all that) often. And you are right also, beef was “what’s for dinner” quite a bit back then! Thanks for visiting, David!
these look so addictive! and the cream cheese frosting is a must – the last cinnamon roll i had didn’t have any frosting so i had to scrounge around for plain cream cheese to doctor it up a little (;
What? No frosting on a cinnamon roll? I’d have done exactly as you did, Heather! And, BTW, these are actually pretty high on the Addictive scale. Thanks for visiting!
Laura, you know Sweden is a huge consumer of cinnamon rolls, huge. My mother-in-law is famous for her kanelbullar (cinnamon rolls). Her recipe came from her mormor (grandmother) and I’ve yet to get the recipe out of her. I showed your recipe to her and asked what she thought. She smiled and said the if you take away the icing (which I like) and replace it with Swedish peal sugar, your recipe would satisfy any Swede. You see it’s the cardamom that does the trick. So now I’m even closer to extracting her famous recipe.
Thanks so much, Ron! I’m honored I could at least begin to satisfy a Swedish Mother (-in-law). Hope you get her recipe soon! I’d love to try it. But to be honest, I’d have a tough time giving up the icing myself. Cream cheese, you know, is vital! I’m going to have to look up “peal sugar” I’m completely unfamiliar with that. It makes me happy she appreciated the cardamom. Thanks for your comments!
It has been said that using potato water is good for baking- aka water that potatoes have been boiled in, and then cooled of course. That could be another secret in your stash.
I have made homemade cinammon rolls every year for Thanksgiving morning since…..I don’t know a few decades. We have apple sausages from the local meat market and scrambled eggs, and THE rolls. I got my first job at 19 and it was at a restaurant which was known for its dinner plate size cinnamon rolls. After I got the recipe I started making them and it makes a giant batch. What was great was you make them the night before and then shape them and then put them in the fridge. They rise overnight and pop them in the oven for every one to wake up to Thanksgiving morning. I highly recommend this tradition. Anyway the recipe is too much- I think I will try these as they are likely much more manageable. My recipe would take 10-12 cups of flour- cinnamon rolls for the neighborhood!
Thanks Laura
I’ve heard of the potato addition. I imagine it makes a nice roll, too! Sounds like your recipe is a winner, too! I think its a lovely tradition for Thanksgiving morning! I usually just get up and cook Thanksgiving food. How wonderful to start the day with beautiful cinnamon rolls! Thanks for visiting and your tips on Cinnamon rolls!
Aunt Sarah’s recipe cracks me up; my grandma had so many recipes that look like that! And somehow they turned out perfectly every time :). I love that you add cardamom to these cinnamon rolls. It’s my very favorite flavor and it must make these taste just heavenly!
Thanks, Kelsie! I keep thinking of Aunt Sarah’s recipe, wondering if I should take the challenge to make it! Ha! I’d have to figure out what “3 cakes of yeast” is first of all. I don’t know, I guess that was from a time that there was 1 way to do everything and you just knew what it was.
Oops, cut off mid-sentence! Anyway, thanks for visiting, glad you’re a cardamom fan like me! Thanks for visiting, Kelsie!
These cinnamon rolls look so delicious Laura and with a cream cheese frosting, it must taste amazing. Perfectly soft and fluffy, I wish I had one of these with my coffee right now ?
Thanks, Ashika! I agree they are the perfect accompaniment to a nice cup of strong coffee! Thanks for visiting!
Unfortunately, we don not have a tradition of making cinnamon rolls, at least in my family over here, BUT this is a nice way to start one 🙂 🙂 Thank you dear Laura !!!
You are so welcome! And thanks for your visit – I hope you get the chance to try out cinnamon rolls!
I looooove my Mom’s cinnamon rolls. It was so exciting when she’d bake them! I remember once trying a raw cinnamon bun and it was so awful, haha! I learned my lesson! These look just the way a cinnamon roll should look. Soft and fluffy! Gotta have that cream cheese icing too!!
Thanks, Katherine! It was always exciting for us as well, good thing she made a HUGE batch! I’m not that adventurous, 1 for now, one in the freezer is about all I can handle. Thanks for visiting!
I love short and straightforward instructions, but that recipe would be a bit too straightforward for me either haha. Laura, these rolls look phenomenally good: so airy and fluffy (Let me guess…they’re so light that each bun has around 0 calories, right?)The color is beautiful too (Thanks to butter and eggs); indeed I though for a second you made pumpkin rolls. And I certainly appreciate the addition of cardamom here. Well done!
Thanks, Ben! So glad you find those directions a bit nonexistent as I did. I guess I could challenge myself and give it a try, but… idk, I just need more. I’ll stick to these Cinnamon rolls! Thanks for your kind words and your visit!