Here's Exactly How To Make The World's Best Cinnamon Rolls

The milk has to be warm enough to get the yeast working, but not too hot that it will kill it. The perfect temperature for active dry yeast to bloom and not die is between 100-110˚F (37-43˚C). If you don't own a food thermometer, just make sure the liquid is barely warm to the touch (think of it this way: 100-110˚F is very close to your normal body temperature, so it shouldn't feel hot.)

Softened butter will help the filling become homogenous and easy to spread, so make sure to leave your butter out at room temperature for at least an hour before you start putting the filling together.

Once you start kneading, it will soon become nice and sticky.

When it comes to cinnamon roll rough, the wetter the better. You'll need some flour so that it doesn't stick to the board, but try to add it little by little and only when completely necessary, as to not overdo it.

This is the perfect consistency for cinnamon rolls. It should take you about 10 minutes of kneading to get to that stage, so be patient and consider this your workout of the day.

Because you've kneaded the dough for so long, it'll be easy to stretch and shape. Shape the dough into a rectangle and use a bench scraper or spatula to make tight corners. It'll be much easier to get consistent rolls in the end if you take the time to shape the dough into a proper rectangle at this stage.

This makes it easier to spread and cover the entire surface of the dough. And take your time to make a nice and even filling because it'll give the dough a nice shape when you finally roll it.

A tight, evenly rolled log is the key to great cinnamon rolls. If you find one part of the log is fatter than the rest, use your hands to stretch it so it evens out.

Whereas a knife cuts from the top down and can often stick in the dough, dental floss allows you to cut in a perfect spiral.

You'll want to make sure they're keeping their form before baking.

This is the point at which you'll want to cover the rolls in plastic wrap and freeze them if you're making them ahead of time. When you're ready to bake them, defrost them overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature before baking them.

You might think this is a whole lot of proofing for one recipe, but you really don't want to skip this step because it's what gives you fluffy, delicious cinnamon rolls.

Powdered sugar dissolves nicely and creates a smooth icing. Make sure to add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time to the softened cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla extract mixture so that no lumps form.

If you ice them piping hot from the oven, the icing will immediately melt. Allow them to cool for about ten minutes before icing to achieve a nice glaze.

Servings: 12

INGREDIENTS

Dough

2 cups whole milk, warm to the touch

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Filling

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

PREPARATION

Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, sugar, and melted butter. The mixture should be just warm, registering between 100-110˚F (37-43˚C). If any warmer, allow to cool slightly.

Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the milk mixture, stir, and let sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes until the yeast has bloomed.

Add 4 cups of flour to the milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until nearly doubled in size.

Generously butter 2 9-inch round baking pans and set aside.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Mix well, then set aside.

Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and add the remaining cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a clean surface. Leave a bit of flour nearby to use as needed, but try not to incorporate too much.

Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface or your hands. The dough should be very smooth and spring back when poked.

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½-inch (1 cm) thick. Fix the corners with a bench scraper or a spatula to make sure they are sharp and even.

Spread the filling evenly over the dough.

Starting from one short end, roll up the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down. Trim any uneven ends.

Using unflavored dental floss, cut the log into evenly pieces, about 1½ inches (8cm) thick. Place the cinnamon rolls in the prepared pans, 1 in the center and about 5 around the sides. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 35-45 minutes, until expanded by about half of their original volume. If you’re saving the cinnamon rolls for later, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up 3 months.

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).

Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and whisk until homogenous and runny.

When the cinnamon rolls are finished, let cool for about 10 minutes.

Drizzle the frosting over the cinnamon rolls, using the back of a spoon to spread if desired.

Enjoy!