There’s nothing quite like the sweet scent of homemade cinnamon rolls baking in my oven, and these bakery-style rolls have the added benefit of beautiful, flavored frostings on top of each one. These deliciously spiced clouds of fluffiness are just divine and could adorn any bakery window! I love making these when I have guests staying with me, or on special weekends for my kids.
Ingredients for Bakery Cinnamon Rolls
Milk: Milk must be warmed to precisely 105°F-115°F in order to activate the yeast. Instant Dry Yeast: This is what makes the dough rise. Sugar: Both granulated sugar and brown sugar are used to sweeten the dough. Eggs: You’ll need whole eggs, plus extra egg yolks. Flour: For less dense, fluffy rolls, use all-purpose flour. For chewy and hearty cinnamon rolls, use bread flour. Or, try half all-purpose flour and half bread flour. Vanilla Extract: This adds just a hint of flavor. Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the dough. Filling: The filling is a mix of granulated and brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and butter. Frosting: The cream cheese frostings can be flavored with vanilla, caramel, maple extract, or cocoa powder.
Tips for Success
Use room temperature ingredients as they will be easier to mix and allow for optimal yeast activity. If your yeast does not froth after standing for 5 minutes, it may be dead or the milk may have been too hot and killed the yeast. To test the temperature of the milk without a thermometer, stick a clean pinky finger halfway into the milk. If you are not able to leave your finger in the milk for at least 5-8 seconds, it is too hot and will kill the yeast. The dough is properly mixed when it is pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl and the dough is tacky, but not sticky. Bake the cinnamon rolls immediately after slicing. If the rolls rise for an additional amount of time, they will overflow and stick together when they bake. For a little crunch, add up to ½ cup of chopped nuts or dried fruit to the filling.
Make Ahead Instructions
This dough can be prepared up to a day in advance. To make this bakery style cinnamon roll dough ahead of time, make the dough through step 6. Cover the bowl of dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until fully risen, about 8-10 hours. When ready to assemble and bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 10 minutes. This will make the dough easier to roll. Continue with the recipe as written.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. These bakery cinnamon rolls freeze beautifully too! For best results, individually wrap unfrosted rolls in plastic wrap and place into an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat before icing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
Nothing brings me more joy than pairing one of these beautiful cinnamon-filled rolls with one of my favorite coffee drinks. I love a hot almond flat white in the mornings, but opt for an iced honey cinnamon latte when I sneak one of these for an afternoon treat!
How to Make Bakery Cinnamon Rolls Step by Step
Activate the Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 2 cups of warm milk, ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, and 3½ teaspoons of instant dry yeast. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it stand for 5 minutes to bloom. Combine Ingredients: Once the yeast is frothy, add 3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. Mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add Flour: Add 4 cups of flour and mix well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add Butter: Remove the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook. Add 18 tablespoons of unsalted butter (2¼ sticks) and mix until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes. Knead the Dough: Add the remaining 4 cups of flour and knead on medium speed for 10 minutes. Rise the Dough: Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a rough ball. Spray the inside of the bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough ball back into the greased bowl, rolling it around to coat all sides. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Make the Filling: While the dough rises, make the filling. In a small bowl, mix together ⅔ cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of granulated sugar, and 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon. Set aside. Prep the Dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 jumbo cupcake tins with jumbo cupcake liners or generously grease with nonstick spray, and set aside. Punch the dough down, then turn it out onto a generously floured surface and dust the top with flour. Fill and Roll the Dough: Roll it into a 27×21-inch rectangle. Use a pastry brush or spoon to spread 1 cup of unsalted butter over the entire surface of the dough, all the way to the edges. Spread the brown sugar filling over the butter. Roll up the dough, jelly roll style, starting at the long end. Pinch the ends of the dough together. Cut Cinnamon Rolls: Use a knife to cut the log into 12 1½-inch-thick cinnamon rolls. Carefully pick up each cinnamon roll and place swirl-side up into the prepared cupcake liners. The easiest way to do this is to grab each roll with your hand like a claw and gently drop them into each liner. Bake: Once the cinnamon rolls are in the cupcake tins, bake until lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes. If the cinnamon rolls are browning too quickly, loosely cover the tins with foil. Cool: Remove the rolls from the oven and place the tins on a cooling rack to cool. Make the Frosting: While the cinnamon rolls bake, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 16 ounces of cream cheese, 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Beat on high speed until a smooth and creamy frosting forms, about 2 minutes. Add Flavor: For flavored frostings, evenly divide the frosting into 4 bowls. For caramel frosting, mix in 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce. For chocolate frosting, mix in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. For maple frosting, mix in 2 teaspoons of pure maple extract. Frost the Cinnamon Rolls: Spoon each of these frostings into separate piping bags or Ziplock bags. Cut a dime-sized hole in the bottom of each bag and pipe frosting in thick lines or circles onto cooled bakery-style cinnamon rolls.
