Quick Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

Preheat your oven to 200 F / 95 C (if you're making these the day before, no need to preheat the oven). In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/4 tsp or 1 packet instant dry yeast, and 1 tsp salt.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup butter. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave, then stir to combine the ingredients. The butter should be mostly melted, and the mixture should feel warm but not hot to the touch. If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast!

Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed with a dough hook or by hand with a dough whisk. If you don't have a dough whisk, you can use a large wooden spoon.

Add 1 large egg and mix on a low speed until a sticky dough ball forms. Continue to mix on a medium-low speed for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes more elastic.

As the dough mixes, add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl. I usually add 1-3 additional Tbsps of flour. My favorite way to know if my dough is ready is to poke it with my finger. It should feel tacky but not sticky. As you pull your finger away, there should be no residue on your finger.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.

While the dough rests, make the cinnamon roll filling. To be able to combine the filling into a paste-like consistency, the butter needs to be really soft (but preferably not melted). It should be spreadable/softer than room temperature. I usually heat room-temperature butter in the microwave in 5-second intervals to get this consistency - just be sure not to fully melt it!

Add 4 Tbsp of very soft butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp fine salt to a medium-sized bowl. Mix together until fully combined then set aside. The mixture should have a thick, paste-like consistency.

Line an 8x8-inch square or round pan (light-colored metal preferable) with parchment paper and set aside. If you don't have metal, glass will work too. If you use glass, lower the oven temperature by 25 F and bake for a few minutes longer.

Once the dough has had a chance to rest, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle that's roughly 18x12 inches. It should be about 1/2 cm thick. 

Spread the filling in a thin, even layer across the dough with an offset spatula or rubber spatula. It might seem like there isn't enough filling at first, but I promise there is! It just takes a bit of time to get it fully spread out over the dough.

There are two options for rolling and cutting these:

Traditional Roll and Cut Method: Roll the dough horizontally, then cut 9 equal pieces using dental floss, and place them in the prepared 8x8-inch pan.

Cut THEN Roll Method (my preferred method): Use a pastry rolling cutter or pizza cutter to cut 9 equal strips that are about 2" wide - this is why it's important that the dough is 18" wide! If it's shorter, you may need to cut your strips a bit more narrow. Then roll each cinnamon roll up individually and place them in the prepared 8x8-inch pan.

There are also two options for proofing and baking these rolls! Follow the instructions below based on when you chose to make these rolls.

If you are making these cinnamon rolls the night before, cover the cinnamon rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. The following morning, take them out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 200 F/93 C. Then turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and place the rolls in the oven for about 30 minutes until they've risen. Remove them from the oven and take off the tinfoil.

If you make these the morning of, turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and place them in the oven to rise for about 30 minutes. MAKE SURE YOU'VE TURNED THE OVEN OFF. We want a nice cozy place for the rolls to rise, but we don't want to bake them yet. Remove them from the oven and take off the tinfoil.

At this point, they should look puffier and have grown about twice in size. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Then bake the rolls for 26-30 minutes, or until they're just starting to brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.

While the rolls bake, make the cream cheese frosting. Mix 1/4 cup of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp salt with a spoon or electric mixer.

Then mix 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of heavy cream at a low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.

Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon the frosting over each cinnamon roll and serve warm.