I took a leap and prepared my Cinnamon Yeast Rolls using active dry yeast, warm milk and room temperature eggs to create a soft dough layered with a blend of melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, crowned with a creamy cream cheese icing. This is one good cinnamon roll recipe.
I’ve always had a soft spot for an old fashioned recipe that reminds me of lazy weekend mornings. This Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe brings together the perfect blend of gooey sweetness and tender dough.
I started by mixing 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast with a cup of warm milk and lightly beaten eggs, along with melted unsalted butter and 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour. These basic dough ingredients, together with a pinch of salt and some granulated sugar, create a beautiful foundation for the rolls.
The magic happens when you layer on the filling—a mix of melted unsalted butter, seasoned with 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon and a cup of packed brown sugar that puffs up as it bakes. Then, an icing made of softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, a hint of vanilla extract and a splash of milk is drizzled over each roll.
Its texture and flavor remind me of classic homemade yeast cinnamon rolls that are both quick and delicious. Enjoy experimenting with this recipe!
Why I Like this Recipe
I love how making these cinnamon rolls fills my kitchen with a warm, comforting smell that takes me back to my childhood.
I like that the dough comes out soft and fluffy every time, even though its a bit tricky sometimes.
The sweet and spicy mix of brown sugar and cinnamon in the filling always makes my taste buds happy and it’s totally worth the extra effort.
I also enjoy drizzling the cream cheese icing over them cause it adds that perfect tangy touch that makes the rolls even more irresistible.
Ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast: Helps the dough rise and makes the rolls light and airy.
- Warm Milk: Provides protein and moisture, making the dough soft and a bit sweet.
- All Purpose Flour: A main carbohydrate source that gives structure and chewiness to the rolls.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a deep, caramel flavor along with extra moisture in the filling.
- Ground Cinnamon: Offers a warm, spicy kick and natural antioxidants that make it a tasty treat.
- Cream Cheese: Makes the icing tangy and creamy while contributing a little protein.
Ingredient Quantities
- Dough Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- 2 large eggs, at room temp
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Filling Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Icing Ingredients:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (adjust to your taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
How to Make this
1. In a large bowl, combine the active dry yeast with the warm milk and a pinch of sugar (from the 1/2 cup granulated sugar) and let it sit for about 5 minutes till it gets foamy.
2. Add in the eggs, melted unsalted butter, the rest of the granulated sugar and salt to the yeast mixture and then slowly stir in the 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 5-7 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic; if its sticky, lightly dust your hands and the surface with extra flour.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a cloth and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to
1.5 hours until it doubles in size.
5. While the dough is rising, make the filling by mixing 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter with 1 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a small bowl until well blended.
6. Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle roughly 16×12 inches, making sure it’s evenly spread.
7. Brush the entire dough with the melted butter from the filling ingredients and then evenly sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture all over the dough.
8. Carefully roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the longer side and cut it into about 12 even slices.
9. Place the slices in a greased baking pan leaving a little space between each one, cover with a towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes while you preheat your oven to 375°F.
10. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown. While they are cooling, whip up the icing by combining the softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk until smooth; then drizzle over the rolls and enjoy!
Equipment Needed
1. Large mixing bowl – used to combine the yeast, milk and other dough ingredients
2. Measuring cups and spoons – to accurately measure all the required ingredients
3. Whisk – for stirring the wet ingredients, especially when mixing the yeast with warm milk
4. Wooden spoon – useful for stirring in the melted butter and sugar
5. Flat, lightly floured work surface (like a countertop or cutting board) – essential for kneading and rolling out the dough
6. Rolling pin – to evenly roll the dough into a rectangle
7. Clean dish towel – to cover the dough while it rises
8. Baking pan – to arrange and bake the final rolls
9. Knife or bench scraper – for cutting the rolled dough into even slices
10. Small mixing bowls – one for blending the cinnamon filling and another for whipping up the icing
11. Spatula – for brushing the dough with melted butter and drizzling the icing over the baked rolls
12. Oven – preheated to 375°F, to bake the cinnamon rolls
These items are the essentials you’ll need to make the recipe. Enjoy bakeing even if you mess up now and then, its all part of the fun in the kitchen.
FAQ
Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey) Substitutions and Variations
- Active dry yeast: If you’re out of this, you can use instant yeast. Just use around 25% less than the recipe calls for and make sure it dissolves in the warm milk before mixing.
- Milk: You can swap the warm milk for almond milk or soy milk if you need a non dairy option. Just be sure its warmed up to around the same temperature.
- Unsalted butter in the dough or filling: In a pinch, you can use melted coconut oil or even unsalted margarine. They might give it a slightly different taste, but it works.
- Cream cheese (for the icing): You can replace it with mascarpone or full fat Greek yogurt. They might not be as rich, but they make a pretty good substitution.
- Brown sugar for the filling: If you dont have that available, try mixing white granulated sugar with a little molasses (about one tablespoon per cup of sugar) to mimic brown sugar’s color and flavor.
Pro Tips
1. Make sure your milk is just the right temperature – if it’s too hot it can kill the yeast, so test it with your finger or use a thermometer if you got one
2. When kneading the dough, don’t go overboard with the extra flour; dust your hands lightly to keep the dough soft and elastic even if it feels a bit sticky
3. If u want perfectly even rolls, use a sharp knife or even a piece of dental floss to slice them so they all turn out similar in size
4. Let your rolls cool for a few minutes before you put on the icing; this helps the frosting stay on and not melt all over the place
Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey)
My favorite Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey)
Equipment Needed:
1. Large mixing bowl – used to combine the yeast, milk and other dough ingredients
2. Measuring cups and spoons – to accurately measure all the required ingredients
3. Whisk – for stirring the wet ingredients, especially when mixing the yeast with warm milk
4. Wooden spoon – useful for stirring in the melted butter and sugar
5. Flat, lightly floured work surface (like a countertop or cutting board) – essential for kneading and rolling out the dough
6. Rolling pin – to evenly roll the dough into a rectangle
7. Clean dish towel – to cover the dough while it rises
8. Baking pan – to arrange and bake the final rolls
9. Knife or bench scraper – for cutting the rolled dough into even slices
10. Small mixing bowls – one for blending the cinnamon filling and another for whipping up the icing
11. Spatula – for brushing the dough with melted butter and drizzling the icing over the baked rolls
12. Oven – preheated to 375°F, to bake the cinnamon rolls
These items are the essentials you’ll need to make the recipe. Enjoy bakeing even if you mess up now and then, its all part of the fun in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
- Dough Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- 2 large eggs, at room temp
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Filling Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Icing Ingredients:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (adjust to your taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the active dry yeast with the warm milk and a pinch of sugar (from the 1/2 cup granulated sugar) and let it sit for about 5 minutes till it gets foamy.
2. Add in the eggs, melted unsalted butter, the rest of the granulated sugar and salt to the yeast mixture and then slowly stir in the 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 5-7 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic; if its sticky, lightly dust your hands and the surface with extra flour.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a cloth and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to
1.5 hours until it doubles in size.
5. While the dough is rising, make the filling by mixing 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter with 1 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a small bowl until well blended.
6. Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle roughly 16×12 inches, making sure it’s evenly spread.
7. Brush the entire dough with the melted butter from the filling ingredients and then evenly sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture all over the dough.
8. Carefully roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the longer side and cut it into about 12 even slices.
9. Place the slices in a greased baking pan leaving a little space between each one, cover with a towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes while you preheat your oven to 375°F.
10. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown. While they are cooling, whip up the icing by combining the softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk until smooth; then drizzle over the rolls and enjoy!
