Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
This recipe for cinnamon rolls comes with a nice shortcut if you're short on time - use frozen bread dough. Of course, if you DO have time, making your own cinnamon roll dough is a lot of fun too.
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Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Prep Time: 25 m
- Cook Time: 30 m
- Total Time: 55 m
- Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed Cinnamon Roll Dough recipe, see here,
- ¼ cup butter melted and cooled
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Let the dough come to room temperature on the counter. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a 16-inch by 13-inch rectangle. Position the rectangle so the shorter 13-inch side is facing you. Brush the melted butter over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border uncovered along the edge farthest away from you.
- Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough, keeping the 1-inch border uncovered. Roll the dough into a log starting with the edge closest to you. Roll the dough tightly, making sure to roll evenly and push out any air pockets. When you get to the uncovered edge of the dough, press the dough onto the roll to seal it together.
- Cut the log of dough into 12 pieces, slicing slowly with a sawing motion so you don’t flatten the dough. Turn the slices on their sides on a greased and lined (with silicone or parchment) 9” x 13” sheet pan and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the rolls sit in the warmest part of your kitchen for an hour to rise.
- To make the glaze, place the cream cheese and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Soften the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is easy to stir. Gradually add the powdered sugar and stir to combine. Add the vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Air-Fryer Directions: When the rolls have risen, pre-heat the air fryer to 350ºF. Transfer 6 of the rolls to the air fryer basket. Air-fry for 5 minutes. Turn the rolls over and air-fry for another 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining rolls.
- Oven Baking Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF. Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake the rolls for 25 – 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cover with foil if the rolls start to get too brown.
- Let the rolls cool for a couple of minutes before glazing. Spread large dollops of cream cheese glaze on top of the warm cinnamon rolls, allowing some of the glaze to drip down the side of the rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
Amount Per Serving
Calories 283
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 263mg11%
Potassium 36mg1%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 26g29%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 305IU6%
Calcium 32mg3%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hi Meredith, I’m so glad I visited your site. I watched your Cinnamon Rolls Basic video and want to thank you for all the valuable pointers you give to us. I can’t wait to try this recipe and will let you know how I made out. Thanks again. 🙂
I never attempted making cinnamon rolls before I saw this video. I decided to give it a try. I have been making them ever since. My family and friends love them. I just made a double recipe today so I have some to give to my parents. These are absolutely the best.
I’ve got the dough going to do this
Meredith, I made those cinnamon rolls, YEP…It’s Christmas now…they were “Delicious”, grandkids loved them, grandpa and grandma lived them too.. icing was heaven…
Thank you for sharing…..
God Bless
Merry Christmas
Hi Meredith,
Would you provide a link for the 13″ x 9″ bake sheet and that cool flour spreader? ❤
Hi Susanne. Here is the link for the flour duster: https://bluejeanchef.com/product/flour-duster/ . The baking sheet was from the Cook’s Essentials brand from QVC. I am not sure if they are still available, you would have to check their website.
Ive been using this recipe for a couple of years now and have to say that it’s the best of all the other recipes ive tried!! Making them again today because ive been craving one for awhile now!! Yum!!!
Thanks, Gillian!
Your recipes are super thank you,I don’t have a web page.
Tried this receipt. Did not get a second rise. Any ideas?
Hmmm. I can only think that you might have not waiting for long enough or had your dough in a warm enough spot? Or there’s a chance your dough over-proofed the first time and exhausted the yeast.
Can you make them one day a head and keep in the refrigerator and bake the next morning?
The cinnamon rolls may over proof if you keep them in the fridge overnight. If you try it I would only chill them for eight hours at the most. You could also bake them the day before and reheat them the next morning, covered with foil. Wait to glaze them until after they are re-heated.
I made from scratch and they were beautiful and yummy… everyone loved them
My first time making homemade cinnamon rolls and the family LOVED them! I made a set last night, fully cooked and reheated & iced today and they were great. Now I’m making a 2nd double batch and I want to split the dough. I want to experiment with going all the way thru to cinnamon/sugar, rolling and cutting and then freezing. Do you think I’d be more successful with freezing before the final 1hr rise (after they’re cut) or letting them finish the last rise and then freeze? Just trying to get from freezer to table without a 2 hr prep wait. Thanks!
You will want to freeze them before the last rise. You can roll and cut the cinnamon rolls and then freeze them in a single layer. Pull them from the freezer the night before and let them defrost and rise on the counter overnight. Then when the cinnamon rolls have doubled in size, you can bake them in the morning.
I made these yesterday and I’m in love with this simple straightforward recipe!! I will continue to make these for forever now so a big grateful thank you 🥰🫶🥰
Is it possible to make these the day before you need them and put them in the fridge?
You could make them a day ahead of time, but I would wait to put the glaze on top until you are ready to serve them. You can store them in the fridge or at room temperature for 1 day. Reheat in foil in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. Then spread the glaze on the warm rolls.
I didn’t see the video before trying on the recipe. I printed out just the recipe and it didn’t turn out well. The printed recipe was confusing. Maybe, just advise people that theres a video we can watch. Wish I found the video first coz the first try was a big disaster. Thanks.
Sorry you had a problem with the recipe. You can roll out frozen bread dough to make it easier to make than making your own dough. The recipe video is located right above the recipe title and there is a circle with an arrow on the recipe image which indicates that the recipe has a video. So sorry you missed it before you made your cinnamon rolls.