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Soft & Gooey Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

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4.6 from 3 reviews

These Soft & Gooey Cinnamon Rolls are a homemade delight featuring a tender, slightly sweet dough filled with buttery cinnamon sugar and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, they combine rich flavors and a comforting texture that's sure to please any crowd.

Ingredients

Dough

  • ¾ cup warm milk (110°F/43°C)
  • 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)
  • ½ tsp salt

Filling

  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp milk or cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Activate yeast: In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp of sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Mix wet ingredients: Add the remaining sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture. Mix until fully combined to create a smooth liquid base.
  3. Form dough: Add the flour and salt into the wet ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes by hand or using a dough hook until it is smooth and elastic but slightly tacky, not sticky.
  4. First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
  5. Prepare filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon evenly.
  6. Roll out dough: Once risen, punch the dough down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 14x10-inch rectangle.
  7. Assemble rolls: Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log shape.
  8. Slice rolls: Slice the rolled log into 9 equal pieces to form individual cinnamon rolls.
  9. Second rise: Place the rolls into a greased or parchment-lined 9-inch square baking dish. Cover loosely and let them rise for another 30–45 minutes until puffy.
  10. Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while the rolls are rising.
  11. Bake: Bake the rolls for 25 minutes or until golden on top and baked through, taking care not to overbake to keep them soft and tender.
  12. Make glaze: While the rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
  13. Glaze and serve: Drizzle the glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately for best gooey texture and flavor.

Notes

  • Use warm milk at about 110°F to help activate the yeast without killing it.
  • If the dough feels too sticky during kneading, sprinkle a little more flour, but avoid adding too much to keep rolls soft.
  • Ensure butter for the filling is softened to allow easy spreading over the dough.
  • Letting the rolls rise twice ensures a fluffy and tender texture.
  • For extra gooey rolls, add a cream cheese glaze instead of the vanilla glaze.
  • Serve cinnamon rolls fresh and warm; they can be reheated in the microwave for 15 seconds if needed.

Find it online: https://freshfromkitchen.com/soft-and-gooey-cinnamon-rolls-recipe/