Soft Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Glaze (Printer-Friendly)

Soft spiraled dough swirled with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with sweet vanilla frosting

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet active dry yeast (7 g/2¼ tsp)
03 - 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
04 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
05 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1 large egg, room temperature
07 - ½ tsp salt

→ Filling

08 - ½ cup brown sugar, packed
09 - 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
10 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2–3 tbsp milk
13 - ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Combine lukewarm milk and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until mixture becomes frothy and active.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add melted butter, egg, and activated yeast mixture. Stir until dough begins to form.
03 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm area for 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Punch down risen dough and roll into 16×12 inch rectangle on floured surface.
05 - Spread softened butter evenly over dough surface. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle mixture uniformly over buttered layer.
06 - Starting from long side, roll dough tightly into log. Slice into 12 equal pieces using serrated knife or dental floss.
07 - Arrange rolls in greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover and let rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy and doubled.
08 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
09 - Bake rolls for 22–25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
10 - While rolls cool slightly, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Drizzle generously over warm rolls before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough comes together easier than youd expect, even if yeast doughs usually intimidate you
  • That moment when you unroll them from the oven and the cinnamon sugar has created these gorgeous gooey layers
  • They make your whole home feel cozy and welcoming, like Sunday morning at grandmas house
02 -
  • If your milk is too hot itll kill the yeast, but too cold means slow rising, so aim for that perfect lukewarm sweet spot
  • The dental floss trick for cutting rolls keeps those perfect spirals intact unlike a knife that squishes them down
  • These are best fresh but can be gently reheated, and honestly, I've eaten one cold standing by the fridge more times than I should admit
03 -
  • Ive learned that gently pressing the filling into the dough keeps it from spilling out during baking, making for prettier rolls
  • Using a kitchen scale for flour changed everything for me, but if you dont have one, fluff the flour first and spoon it in gently
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