Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

These buttery cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are incredibly soft, light in texture, and so heavenly! They are close to perfection.

I have to say something. It’s a big one. I hope we can still be friends.

I’m cheating on my favorite cinnamon roll recipe with these bad boys. I’ve made a lot of these rolls over the years and I didn’t think cinnamon rolls could get any better, they are definitely in the running for best cinnamon roll.

To protect myself, I only made it partially, using the full brown sugar from the “old” recipe and adding the soft, velvety batter from this new recipe. The result of the combination is perfect, especially with the creamy, warm cheese toppings.

The buttercream batter is so soft and fluffy that you don’t even need a knife to spread it (unlike every other vanilla pudding recipe). I can easily make squares with my hands without thinning them too much.

The main difference is the taste of the dough. Butter adds a special flavour to the dough and contributes to its tenderness, making the baked rolls wonderfully fluffy and light.

I have a feeling I’ll be alternating between the two recipes because I still love the vanilla pudding recipe, but if you twisted my arm to be sure, I’d have to admit that those are definitely my new cinnamon roll flame.

FAQ for Buttermilk Cream Cheese Frosting and Cinnamon Rolls

How do you store the leftovers?

I cover the box (or put the leftovers in any container) and keep them at room temperature for about 12 hours, longer than that I put them in the freezer.

How do you control the temperature of the oil?

When I heat the oil, I wrap it around my finger and it feels warm to the touch, but not warm enough to pull out.

Buttermilk cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Cook time: 22 minutes

Total time: 3 hours 42 minutes

Ingredients

Rolls:

• ¾ cup hot (I pour the liquid into a measuring cup and microwave it for 1 minute at 50% power)
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted and cooled
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup (53 g) sugar
• tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 3 ½ to 4 ½ cups (497 to 639 g) flour

Filling:

• ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (212 g) brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons mahayika paste

Cup:

• 1 ½ cups (171 g) powdered sugar
• 2 oz (57 g) cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups milk or water
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the dough, add the warm butter and oil to a hook-type mixer (or mix with a wooden spoon). With the mixer running, add the eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup of flour.
2. Continue adding flour until the dough overlaps the sides of the bowl. It should be very soft, but not so sticky that it leaves a lot of residue on your fingers. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture forms a soft, sticky ball.
3. Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap on top. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2-2 1/2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen (you can speed this up by placing the bowl of dough in a slightly warm oven).
4. Meanwhile, lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish (if doubling the recipe, I found that using a large 11X17-inch baking dish works well).
5. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar and butter. Set aside.
6. Once the dough is ready, place it on a lightly oiled counter and roll it out to a 16-by-12-inch rectangle (if doubling the recipe, divide the dough in half and roll it out to a 12-inch rectangle). Gently spread the softened butter over the rectangle, using an offset spatula or rubber spatula or your fingers.
7. Sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top and bottom edges. Use your hands to dip the brown sugar mixture into the butter, sticking it to the dough.
8. Grab the end closest to you and begin rolling the dough tightly. Sew the seam shut and turn the tree so the seam side is facing down. Gently stretch the wood into 15-inch diameter strips across the stack and then fold the edges evenly over the stack.
9. Using a serrated knife, cut the glue into 12 equal rolls (or more if you prefer the rolls thinner). Place the rolls cut side down on the prepared baking sheet and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 1 1/2 hours—it’s very important that they rise well or they won’t be easy and fluffy after frying.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are golden on top and cooked through but not overly browned.
11. While the rolls are baking, blend the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth (I usually use a blender to make this frosting). Add the vanilla extract and mix. Stir in the powdered sugar. Add a teaspoon of water or oil until you get the desired glass consistency. It should be thick but pourable. Drizzle warm rolls with glaze.

Notes

Do Ahead: To make these rolls ahead of time, once they are ready and placed on the baking sheet, immediately cover them with lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate; do not lift them. Refrigerate overnight, up to 16 hours. Let the rolls sit at room temperature, covered, until they have doubled in size for about 3 to 4 hours, then uncover and bake as directed. The rolls can also be frozen in the same place mentioned above (cover with oiled plastic wrap and foil on top). Let them sit at room temperature for 9 to 11 hours to thaw and shake before baking.
Milk: I have also found that whole or warm 2% milk works well in place of oil.
Amount of Flour: As with everything, I never use the amount of flour a recipe calls for as a strict rule. Because humidity, temperature, altitude, and many other factors can affect how much flour you need, I always judge when to stop adding sugar by the texture and feel of the dough, versus how much flour I added compared to the recipe. This tutorial on yeast can help you understand what a well-made dough should look like.