Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

There is one thing you all should know about me. I am not a morning person. :)

Now, do I wake up early? Yes, but do I enjoy getting out of bed at 6 AM? Absolutely not, lol. Just ask my husband, family or former college roommates. I need at least 30 minutes after I get out of bed to officially "wake-up" (AKA start talking). But now that I’m a mom, mornings have become one of my favorite times of day. Making the most of my mornings is important to me, and these easy cinnamon rolls are the perfect way to enjoy a homemade breakfast without all the fuss.

Let me share a little secret with y’all—I’m all about homemade baked goods made from scratch! But sometimes, convenience wins, and store-bought dough comes to the rescue. This is definitely one of those times! 😉 Early mornings are not my prime time for handling yeast and making dough from scratch. That’s when a loaf of frozen bread becomes a game-changer! Just wrap it in plastic the night before, pop it in the fridge to thaw, and voilà—your dough is ready to roll out in the morning. It’s the perfect fix for a non-morning person like me!

Growing up my mom always bought the Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls. And that's exactly how I prefer them -- GRAND! These are not small skinny cinnamon rolls. ;) They are cooked perfectly on the outside & are gooey / melt in your mouth on the inside. Then comes the cream cheese icing and take it from me it's the cherry on top!

I cannot wait to experiment with all kinds of other ingredients! I thought it would be really helpful to highlight a few pointers that will make these cinnamon rolls FOOLPROOF!

• Thawing the dough - I experimented with making these cinnamon rolls 5+ times & one of the most important things is to use dough wrapped in plastic wrap that has been thawed in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. I tried thawing it at room temperature for a few hours and the rolls were much messier and didn't cut as clean.

• Parchment paper - Do you ever find it hard to get the first cinnamon roll out of the pan? This will solve that problem! Just simply lift all the rolls out using the paper and then use a spatula to serve them. :) It also makes washing the pan a breeze!

• Marble rolling pin - Want to make sure the dough doesn't stick when rolling it out? Lightly flour a marble rolling pin. It makes all the difference!

• Sharp serrated knife - A serrated knife makes cutting the dough a breeze & leaves clean lines! Instead of using a knife and cutting the dough by "pushing" it down try "sawing" it back and forth and it will cut perfectly.

**The recipe below may look long BUT it's the easiest recipe ever! The only reason why it's "long" is because I listed a lot of little tips that will make this a FOOLPROOF recipe for anyone!

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Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Yield: 8

Author: Hayden Jordan

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 (1 lb) loaf frozen bread thawed, such as Bridgford Ready-Dough
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of coarse kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
• ½ teaspoon milk

Instructions

Cinnamon Rolls

1. Thaw the frozen bread dough in the refrigerator overnight wrapped in plastic wrap (for at least 8 hours).
2. Roll the dough into a 10×12 inch rectangle shape on a lightly floured surface. (You really have to put some arm muscles into rolling out the dough. Keep working with it and it will get there).
3. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter evenly over the dough leaving a ½ border.
4. Sift together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Use a metal spoon to press any remaining brown sugar through the sift. Whisk together and sprinkle evenly over the butter starting with the outside border and then the middle.
5. Using your thumbs tightly roll up the dough, using the long side.
6. Trim the edges with a sharp serrated knife, so they are neat. Then cut the log in half. Then cut the logs in half again, and repeat. You should have 8 cinnamon rolls total.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
8. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan or pie dish with parchment paper. (I like to use clips to hold the paper in place).
9. Place the cinnamon rolls in the cake pan & cover with a dishtowel (they need to sit in a warm place without a draft — I like to place mine on top of the oven while it is heating up).
10. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. *This gives them plenty of time to rise. They will almost double in size! Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing.
11. Bake for 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil to prevent browning and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
12. Ice the cinnamon rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.
13. Allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Cream Cheese Icing

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese & butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla & salt. Mix until combined.
3. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar ½ cup at a time.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon of milk. *Add another 1/2 teaspoon if you like a thinner consistency.

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