Soft and Gooey Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These are THE BEST soft and gooey cinnamon rolls I have EVER had, but don’t take my word for it, bake up a batch and see for yourself!

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There are few things cozier than a pan of homemade cinnamon rolls coming out of the oven. These are soft, pillowy, buttery, and filled with plenty of brown sugar and cinnamon, with an extra layer of cinnamon filling underneath that turns wonderfully gooey as they bake. A little heavy cream poured over the risen rolls keeps them incredibly soft, and the warm cream cheese glaze melts right into every swirl. I quite literally never claim that a recipe of mine is the best because I would have to try every cinnamon roll out there to make that claim—but I can confidently say these are the best cinnamon rolls I have personally ever had. Let’s make them.

Soft and Gooey Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 8 Large Cinnamon Rolls
Prep Time: About 30 Minutes
Rise Time: 2–2½ Hours
Bake Time: 25–30 Minutes
Oven Temperature: 350°F (175°C)

For the Dough:

• 1 (¼-Ounce) Package (7 g) Yeast, instant or active dry
• ⅓ Cup (67 g) Brown Sugar of choice, spooned and leveled, not packed
• 1 ⅓ Cups (320 ml) Whole Milk, warmed to about 110°F
• ⅔ Cup (151 g) Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 Large (about 100 g) Eggs, room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon (5 g) Salt
• 4 ¼ Cups (531 g) All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting and rolling out the dough
• ⅓ Cup (80 ml) Heavy Cream, for pouring over the risen rolls before baking

For the Filling / Bottom of Pan:

• 1 Cup (227 g) Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 Cups (220 g) Brown Sugar of choice, packed
• ¼ Cup (about 28 g) Ground Cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 1 Tablespoon (14 g) Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 Ounces (85 g) Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 ¼ Cups (150 g) Powdered Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon (5 ml) Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
• 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) Half-and-Half

Instructions

Activate the Yeast

Add the yeast, brown sugar, and half of the warmed milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk gently to combine. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to sit for about 20 minutes, or until the yeast has bloomed and the mixture looks foamy.

This extra step is well worth the wait because you can see that your yeast is active before adding the rest of your ingredients. If your yeast does not change / bloom, discard it and start over. This means that your yeast is dead.

Make the Dough

Add the remaining warm milk, softened butter, eggs, salt, and flour to the yeast mixture.

Fit your mixer with the dough hook and mix on low until everything begins to come together. Increase to medium-low and knead for approximately 5–7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

The finished dough should be soft and slightly tacky but shouldn’t feel excessively sticky.

You can also make this dough without a stand mixer. Once the ingredients are combined, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for approximately 5–7 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.

Let the Dough Rise

Grease a large bowl with butter and place the dough inside, turning it once to lightly coat the outside.

Cover the bowl and place it somewhere warm to rise for approximately 1½–2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. I use my proofer and the dough is perfectly doubled in exactly two hours.

Make the Cinnamon Filling

While the dough rises, combine the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and cinnamon until evenly incorporated.

Divide the filling in half.

Generously grease your baking pan with butter, then spread half of the cinnamon filling across the bottom of the pan. This is one of my favorite parts of this recipe! As the cinnamon rolls bake, the butter and brown sugar underneath melt together and create an extra gooey cinnamon layer on the bottom.

Set the remaining filling aside for the dough.

Roll and Fill the Dough

Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.

Roll the dough into a large, even rectangle. Spread the remaining cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving just a small border around the edges.

There are two methods for shaping these cinnamon rolls. 

The first one is the log method. Startling along one of the long sides, roll the dough tightly into a log. Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 8 large, evenly sized cinnamon rolls.

The second is the slice and roll method, which I personally prefer. Using a pizza cutter, slice the cinnamon rolls into eight even strips. Roll each one up and place them in the prepared pan.

Let the Cinnamon Rolls Rise a Second Time 

Arrange the rolls in your prepared pan directly over the cinnamon filling.

Cover the pan and allow the cinnamon rolls to rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes. They should look noticeably larger and puffy when they’re ready to bake.

Toward the end of the rise time, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Add the Heavy Cream and Bake

Once the cinnamon rolls have finished rising, pour the ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream evenly over the rolls, allowing some of it to run down between them.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until the rolls are beautifully golden brown on top and the centers are baked through.

Make the Cream Cheese Glaze

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and half-and-half. Continue mixing on medium to high until the glaze is completely smooth.

As soon as the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, spread the cream cheese glaze generously over the warm rolls. Adding it while they’re still hot allows the glaze to melt into all the little spaces between the rolls and settles into those cinnamon swirls.

Let the rolls cool for about 15 minutes, then serve them warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when my yeast is activated?

After combining the yeast with the warm milk and brown sugar, you should begin to see bubbles and foam forming across the surface. After about 20 minutes, the mixture should look noticeably foamy or “bloomed.” This lets you know that the yeast is active.

Make sure your milk is warm but not hot. Around 110°F (43°C) is ideal. Milk that is too hot can damage the yeast, while milk that is too cool can impede the activation process.

Why pour heavy cream over cinnamon rolls before baking?

The heavy cream is one of the little additions that makes these cinnamon rolls especially soft and gooey. As the rolls bake, the cream works its way around the dough and combines with the buttery cinnamon-sugar filling to create that ooey gooey center!

You only need ⅓ cup (80 ml) for this recipe. It’s enough to add richness and moisture without overwhelming the dough or leaving too much liquid in the bottom of the pan.

How should I store and reheat cinnamon rolls?

Store leftover cinnamon rolls tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days because of the cream cheese glaze.

For an individual cinnamon roll, microwave it uncovered (or in plastic wrap) for approximately 20–30 seconds.

If you’re reheating the entire pan, cover it loosely with foil and place it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the rolls are warmed through.

Conclusion

These cinnamon rolls take a little time, but most of that time is simply letting the dough rise—and they are absolutely worth the wait! They are everything I dream a homemade cinnamon roll should be: big, soft, pillowy, buttery, cinnamon-filled, and perfectly gooey in the center. They have quickly become my favorite cinnamon rolls EVER, and I hope you love them too.

XO,

Heather

PS- Try my Biscoff Cinnamon Rolls for a truly fabulous treat packed with cookie butter flavor!