Description
Delicious homemade cinnamon rolls filled with a sweet cinnamon and brown sugar filling, topped with a luscious maple cream cheese frosting. Perfect for a weekend brunch or special breakfast treat, these rolls are soft, fluffy, and bursting with warm flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough:
- 2 cups whole milk (2% milk also works)
- ½ cup salted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ Tablespoon instant yeast
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- ½ cup salted butter (softened)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup salted butter (softened)
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon high-quality maple extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Milk (as needed)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Heat the milk in a saucepan until scalded, indicated by small bubbles around the pan edges and steaming but not boiling. Pour the scalded milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer, then add butter, sugar, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until combined and let cool to warm (about 105°F) to protect yeast activity.
- Mix and Knead: Add yeast and beaten eggs to the warm milk mixture and combine. Gradually add the flour, mixing until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides and is soft but slightly sticky. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, then transfer to a greased bowl.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on room temperature.
- Roll Out Dough: Punch down the risen dough and place it on a floured surface. Roll out into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle for even filling and rolling.
- Prepare Filling: Evenly spread the softened butter over the dough rectangle. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
- Shape Rolls: Starting from the longer side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal and cut the log into 12 equal pieces.
- Second Rise: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the rolls evenly in a 3 by 4 grid. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled again, around 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake Rolls: Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove carefully from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese, softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add small amounts of milk if the frosting is too thick to spread easily.
- Frost and Serve: Spread the maple cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cinnamon rolls. Serve warm and enjoy the delightful blend of cinnamon and maple flavors.
Notes
- Allowing the dough to cool to around 105°F before adding yeast is critical to prevent killing the yeast.
- Scalding the milk adds a depth of flavor and helps with dough texture.
- Do not skip the second rise, as it ensures the rolls are fluffy and soft.
- For best flavor, use high-quality maple extract in the frosting.
- Leftover rolls can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated gently before serving.
