This is the cinnamon roll recipe that went viral and honestly I completely understand why. These are the cinnamon rolls I wake up at 5am to make on Christmas morning every single year and the smell alone when they come out of the oven is worth every early alarm. Tall, pillowy, with that melt in your mouth soft crumb that stays tender long after they cool, a generous cinnamon brown sugar swirl, and a cream cheese frosting that melts into every layer while they are still warm. Once you make these you will never go back to a can.
There are two techniques in this recipe that make these next level and both of them are worth understanding before you start. The first is the tangzhong paste — a Japanese method of cooking a small amount of flour with water and milk into a thick paste before adding it to the dough. It sounds more complicated than it is and it takes about five minutes on the stove. What it does is lock moisture into the dough in a way that nothing else can, giving you that incredibly soft, almost cloud-like texture that stays that way for days. It is the reason these cinnamon rolls feel different from every other recipe you have tried.
The second technique is the heavy whipping cream pour right before baking. Just before the rolls go into the oven you pour heavy cream directly over the top of them and it soaks down into all the gaps and underneath the rolls as they bake. It creates the most incredibly rich, soft, almost gooey base that is absolutely decadent and completely non negotiable. Do not skip this step. It is what takes these from really good cinnamon rolls to the best cinnamon rolls you have ever had.
The overnight make-ahead option is also a game changer for Christmas morning or any time you want fresh cinnamon rolls without the full morning commitment. Assemble everything the night before, refrigerate, let them come to room temperature in the morning while the oven preheats, pour the cream, and bake. The whole thing is designed to work around your schedule so you always get a warm pan of homemade cinnamon rolls with as little stress as possible. This is the recipe worth making time for.
The secret to that irresistible texture is a Japanese-style flour paste (often called tangzhong), made with water, milk, and flour, which locks moisture into the dough and creates that chewy, melt-in-your-mouth bite. Just before baking, the rolls are drenched in heavy whipping cream, ensuring they come out rich and ultra-soft, then finished with a generous layer of tangy cream cheese frosting that melts into every swirl. One bite and you’ll understand why these cinnamon rolls are truly next level. Enjoy!
The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong Paste:
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup bread flour
For the Rolls:
- prepared paste
- 3 tsp instant yeast 2 packets
- ½ cup milk warmed to 100° F
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tbs butter melted
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp salt
- 3-3¼ cup bread flour start with 3 and only add more if necessary
- â…“ cup heavy whipping cream to use before baking
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 Tbs cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg optional but adds some pizzaz
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the Icing:
- 4 Tbs butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1-2 Tbs milk
Instructions
Combine milk and yeast:
- In a sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup milk to 100-110 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to check.
- Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the instant yeast to the warm milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Make the Paste:
- Meanwhile, in the same sauce pan, combine, ½ cup water, ½ cup milk and ½ cup flour and whisk until a thick paste forms. Remove from heat.
Make the Dough:
- To the yeast and milk, add sugar, melted butter, egg, vanilla, salt and prepared paste. Mix until everything is combined.
- Add 3 cups of flour 1 cup at a time and mix to combine. Add the remaining ¼ cup gradually, only as needed, until the dough is soft, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Once it’s come together, switch out the paddle for the dough hook and knead for 15 minutes. (this is where having a stand mixer comes in handy!)
- Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and put somewhere warm for 1 hour to rise. (set your oven to 100 then turn it off and place it in there!)
Prepare Cinnamon Filling:
- While the dough is rising, combine the ingredients for the cinnamon filling in a bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend all the ingredients until combined and smooth.
Fill and Cut the Rolls:
- Once dough has doubled in size, roll out onto a floured surface into a rectangle, about 24 x 15. I like to make mine about 25" and then use a pizza cutter to trim it to 24" so the edges are straight.
- Spread cinnamon butter mixture on dough reaching all the way to the edges.
- Make 2" marks along the 24" side and using a pizza cutter, cut strips from the bottom, to the top. (You should have 12 – 2×15 strips)
- Roll each strip tightly and pinch the edge against the roll to seal.
- Place each roll in a large greased casserole dish.
- Repeat with the rest of the rolls.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 more hour. *see note below for an overnight option!*
Prepare and Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F and pour heavy whipping cream on top of rolls.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then bump your oven up to 375 for an additional 8-10 or until they are golden brown.
For the Frosting:
- While the rolls bake, make your icing by whipping together the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer.
- Add vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing in between so it doesn't fly everywhere. Beat until creamy.
- Add milk 1 Tbs at a time if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Cool cinnamon rolls for about 5 minutes and then generously swirl frosting on tops of each bun.
- Enjoy!!
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