Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey)

I finally perfected The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls after a lucky kitchen mistake taught me an unexpected shortcut.

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I’m not gonna lie, these old fashioned cinnamon rolls are the kind that make you stop mid-morning and actually taste life. People call them The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls and online they pop up under Cinnamon Rolls Homemade Yeast, but the truth is they feel like a small, delicious secret.

I use warm whole milk at the start and finish things off with a rich smear of cream cheese on top, and there’s little details you’ll notice only after the first bite. Sometimes I mess them up, but when they turn out, they steal the show.

Ingredients

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Whole milk: adds moisture, protein and calcium, makes dough rich and soft.
Active dry yeast: tiny fungi that puff dough, gives rise and light tang.
Granulated sugar: sweetens, feeds yeast for rise, adds caramel notes when baked.
Unsalted butter: gives richness, tender crumbs, lots of fat keeping rolls soft.
Eggs: add protein, structure and richness, help bind dough and brown the crust.
All purpose flour: builds gluten for structure, mostly carbs, not whole grain.
Cinnamon: warm aromatic spice, tastes sweet and woody, essential for classic flavor.
Cream cheese frosting: tangy, creamy, sweet spread that balances cinnamon roll sweetness nicely.

Ingredient Quantities

For the dough:
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (240 ml)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet, 7 g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (76 g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 cups all purpose flour (480 g), plus a little more if needed
- 1 teaspoon fine salt

For the filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113 g)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (150 g)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (113 g)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (56 g)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (120 to 180 g) depending how sweet you like it
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream to thin, if needed

How to Make this

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1. Warm 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk to about 110°F, sprinkle 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast and 1 tbsp of the 1/3 cup granulated sugar over it, stir and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if it doesnt foam the yeast is dead, start over.

2. Whisk together the foamy yeast mixture, the remaining granulated sugar, 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter, and 2 room temperature eggs until combined.

3. In a large bowl stir together 4 cups all purpose flour and 1 tsp fine salt, then add the wet mix and fold until a shaggy dough forms; turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky, adding a tablespoon or two more flour only if it’s unmanageably sticky.

4. Oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours; use the warm oven trick if your kitchen is cold (turn oven to 200°F for 1 minute, turn off, put dough inside to proof).

5. While dough rises, make the filling: beat together 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp fine salt until it’s spreadable and no big lumps remain.

6. Punch down the risen dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to roughly a 16 by 12 inch rectangle (thinner for more swirls), then spread the cinnamon-brown sugar filling evenly right to the edges.

7. Starting at the long side, roll the dough up tightly into a log, seal the seam by pinching, then cut into 12 even rolls using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife (floss gives cleaner cuts); arrange them cut-side up in a greased 9×13 pan or two smaller pans.

8. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again until puffy, about 30 to 45 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F; bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden and set but still soft in the center, tent with foil for the last 5 minutes if they brown too fast.

9. While they bake or right after, make the cream cheese frosting by beating 4 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup softened butter until smooth, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar to taste, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream to reach a spreadable consistency.

10. Let the rolls cool 5 to 10 minutes (so frosting wont totally melt away), spread the frosting over warm rolls so it gets gooey and sinks in, serve warm; tip: store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat briefly in the microwave for that fresh-baked softness.

Equipment Needed

1. Instant read thermometer for warming milk to about 110°F
2. Liquid and dry measuring cups plus measuring spoons
3. Large mixing bowl (for dough)
4. Whisk and rubber spatula or wooden spoon
5. Stand mixer with dough hook or just a sturdy surface and your hands for kneading
6. Rolling pin and a lightly floured work surface
7. Unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife for cleanly cutting rolls
8. Greased 9×13 inch baking pan (or two smaller pans)
9. Hand mixer or small electric mixer for the cream cheese frosting
10. Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel for proofing and a cooling rack for the finished rolls

FAQ

Q: How do I know the yeast is alive and my dough will rise?

Warm the milk to about 110°F, stir in the sugar then the yeast and wait 5 to 10 minutes. If it gets foamy and a bit frothy it's alive. If nothing happens toss it and start over, your yeast was dead or the milk was too hot.

Q: My rolls come out dense, not soft and fluffy. What did I do wrong?

Most likely underproofing, too much flour, or milk that was too hot and killed the yeast. Keep dough slightly sticky, give it a warm place to rise until doubled, and don't add extra flour unless really needed.

Q: Can I make these ahead or refrigerate overnight?

Yes. After shaping put the pan covered in the fridge overnight. Next day let them warm on the counter 30 to 60 minutes then bake. You can also refrigerate the dough after the first rise and shape it later, up to 24 hours.

Q: How do I get the rolls gooey in the middle but not raw?

Use the full amount of butter and brown sugar in the filling, roll tight but not crushed, and bake until centers are set but still soft, about 22 to 28 minutes depending on oven. If tops brown too fast tent with foil for the last 5 to 8 minutes.

Q: Can I freeze the rolls? What's the best method?

Yes. Freeze unbaked rolls in the pan wrapped tightly for up to 3 months, thaw in fridge overnight then bring to room temp and bake. You can also freeze baked rolls, thaw and warm gently in oven or microwave.

Q: Any quick swaps or fixes if I don't have an ingredient?

Use instant yeast and mix it with flour (cut proofing time a bit). Sour cream or yogurt can replace some butter for richness, and dairy-free buttery spread plus vegan cream cheese work for frosting. If you want more spice add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the filling.

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey) Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions for whole milk:
- 2% (or skim) milk, 1:1. Less rich but works fine if that’s all you’ve got.
- Unsweetened oat or almond milk, 1:1. Add 1 tbsp melted butter per cup to make up for lost fat.
- Evaporated milk diluted 1:1 with water, heat to about 110°F. Keeps the dough rich when fresh milk’s not available.
Substitutions for active dry yeast:
- Instant (rapid-rise) yeast, same weight (7 g). You can mix it straight into the flour and skip a long proof.
- Fresh (cake) yeast, use about 3 times the weight (≈21 g). Crumble and dissolve in warm milk before adding.
- No-yeast quick option: use 2 tsp baking powder plus 1/2 tsp baking soda and treat the dough like a drop/biscuit roll. Texture will be different.
Substitutions for all purpose flour:
- Bread flour, 1:1. Gives chewier, taller rolls thanks to higher protein.
- Replace up to 25–30% with whole wheat or white whole wheat for flavor, but don’t swap all or rolls get dense.
- Gluten-free cup-for-cup blend with xanthan gum, 1:1. Dough will be stickier and rise different, handle gently.
- To mimic bread flour: add 1 to 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten per cup of AP flour.
Substitutions for cream cheese in the frosting:
- Mascarpone, 1:1. Very similar texture, a touch richer and less tangy.
- Neufchâtel, 1:1. Lower fat cream cheese substitute, use the same method.
- Simple buttercream: 1/4 cup softened butter + 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar + splash milk + 1 tsp vanilla. Sweeter and more stable than cream cheese frosting.
- Sour cream glaze: 1/2 cup sour cream + 1 cup powdered sugar + vanilla, chill before spreading. Thinner, tangy finish.

Pro Tips

– Weigh the flour, dont scoop from the bag. A cup of flour can vary a lot, and too much makes dense rolls. If you only have cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off, and add any extra flour a tablespoon at a time while kneading.

– Resist the urge to keep adding flour when the dough is sticky, that just makes dry rolls. Oil your hands or the counter instead, or knead with slightly damp hands, and aim for a smooth, slightly tacky dough.

– For deeper flavor and way better texture, proof the shaped rolls overnight in the fridge instead of the quick second rise. Bring them back to room temp while the oven heats, bake a bit longer if cold, and you’ll get more caramelized filling and less yeasty bite.

– Use unflavored dental floss or a thin piece of thread to cut clean slices, especially if you want perfect swirls. And when glazing, wait 5 to 10 minutes so the frosting sinks in just enough, but still gets gloriously gooey.