Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Worth Every Step

Have you watched the movie “Despicable Me” when the character Agnes wins a fluffy, stuffed unicorn and she screams hilariously “IT’S SO FLUFFY”? Well, call me Agnes because THESE CINNAMON ROLLS ARE SO FLUFFY!

Y’all. I feel like I could win Top Chef with this recipe. It is a recipe that is fun to create with your kids and absolutely delicious. I won’t mention how many times a year we make these fluffy creations, but I will tell you that they are a part of our Christmas morning tradition. They are that special!

While there are a few (or 20 ☺) steps involved in this, the labor of love is so worth it.

Without further ado…

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• 4 ½ – 5 cups all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup sugar

• 2 packets Fleishchmann’s RapidRise Yeast (about 4 ½ tsp)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 ½ cups water

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 large egg

Filling

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temp

•  ½ cup light brown sugar

• 1-2 tbsp cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temp

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temp

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2. Combine the water and butter (cut into tablespoons) and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, until warm to the touch but not hot. The butter will not melt completely. 

3. Pour into the ingredients from step 1, add the egg, and mix with a wooden spoon. 

4. Add in 2 more cups of flour and mix. Mixture will be thick and sticky.

5. Add in ½ cup of flour and mix again. It should now turn shaggy and become difficult to stir. Once it reaches that point, set the spoon to the side and use your hands to mix and knead the dough. (This is the fun part!)

6. Add another ¼ cup of flour and continue to mix and knead by hand. It should turn into a smooth mass that’s soft and tacky.

7. With a clean finger, press it into the dough. If your finger is sticking, add another ¼ cup of flour and knead. If it’s not, then shape it into a ball and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes. 

8. When the 10 minutes is up, the dough should have puffed up quite a bit but not quite doubled in size.

9. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle shape. Roll it into a 10×15 inch rectangle using a rolling pin. 

10. Now it's time to add the filling. Spread the butter into a thin and even layer, leaving about ½ inch border all around the outside of the dough. 

11. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and spread it even with your hand. Then top it with the cinnamon, as much as you like.

12. Working from the long end of the dough, roll it up into a log. Place your hands at each end of the log and give it a gentle squeeze in to compact the log of dough. It may have stretched out a bit during the rolling process so this brings it back together. 

13. Cut the log into 12 rolls using a sharp knife. Gently saw back and forth and try not to press straight down into the rolls. This will squish them into an odd shape. 

14. Place the rolls in a buttered or greased 9×13 dish. It’s OK if all of the rolls are touching – it actually helps the dough rise better. 

15. Place in a warm spot and cover with a towel to rise for 1 hour.

16. Preheat the oven to 350F and check on the rolls. They should have doubled in size and now take up the entire dish. 

17. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. While they cool, make the icing.

18. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and use a fork to mash the two together. Make sure they’re both softened to room temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy.

19. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mash again with the fork. Once the mixture starts to loosen, switch to as whisk and mix until smooth.

20. Spread immediately onto the warm rolls and enjoy! 

Tips and Tricks

• You can sprinkle raisins or chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, over the filling before you roll the dough.

• Don’t have buttermilk? No problem! Just add 1 cup of milk to 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Stir until combined and let sit for 5 minutes before using.

• Prep ahead of time: After step 16, cover the rolls in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Before baking the next day, allow the rolls to rest at room temperature (covered) for about 45 minutes. They may not puff up but that’s OK. Follow the same baking instructions. 

• Store cooled rolls, covered, at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze baked rolls. Wrap the pan, or individual rolls, with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil and put in the freezer for 2-3 months!

• Don’t ask for the nutritional facts…just enjoy!!!

Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls with Icing Ready to Eat!

I really hope you enjoy making these with your children. Spending time in the kitchen with your loved ones creates memories that last a lifetime. So, make the memories and eat the food!

Recipe source: butternutbakeryblog.com

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Learn more about author Dianne Rosenberry here and follow her creations on Instagram at @cake_baby_alabama