Soft & Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

There is something about homemade cinnamon rolls that feels like a slow Sunday morning — warm kitchen, cinnamon in the air, soft centers pulling apart layer by layer. And the best part? You don’t need eggs to get that ultra-fluffy, bakery-style texture.

These eggless cinnamon rolls are rich from butter, tender from milk, and perfectly sweet with that classic cinnamon sugar swirl. They’re simple, cozy, and completely chaos-free.

This recipe makes 9 cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients

Dough

• 250 g all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)

• 170 g warm milk (about ¾ cup)

• 35 g granulated sugar (about 2½ tbsp)

• 40 g unsalted butter, melted (3 tbsp)

• 5 g active dry yeast (about 1½ tsp)

• ¼ tsp salt

Cinnamon Filling

• 40 g softened butter (3 tbsp)

• 75 g granulated sugar (about ⅓ cup)

• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cinnamon powder

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 115 g full-fat cream cheese, softened (4 oz / half a block)

• 30 g unsalted butter, softened (2 tbsp)

• 120 g powdered sugar (about 1 cup)

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1–2 tbsp milk (as needed for consistency)

• Tiny pinch of salt

Instructions

• Activate the Yeast

  • Warm the milk until it’s just slightly warm to the touch, not hot.

  • Stir in a small pinch of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy and bubbly. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may not be active.

• Make the Dough

  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, the remaining sugar, salt.

  • Pour in the yeast mixture and melted butter.

  • Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, soft, and slightly tacky (not sticky). You can knead by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook.

  • The dough should feel supple and elastic

• First Rise

  • Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover.

  • Let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

• Roll & Fill

  • Place the rolls in a greased 8x8 pan in a 3x3 arrangement.

  • Cover and let rise for 45–75 minutes, until puffy and just touching each other.

  • They should look airy and slightly expanded.

• Bake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

  • Optional: Right before baking, gently pour 1–2 tablespoons of warm milk over the tops of the risen rolls.

  • Bake for 20–25 minutes, until lightly golden on top.

  • For gooey centers, slightly underbake them — they’ll continue cooking a bit as they cool.

• The Frosting

  • In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth and fluffy. No lumps.

  • Add powdered sugar gradually and beat until creamy.

  • Mix in vanilla and a small pinch of salt. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

  • Spread onto the warm (not hot) rolls so the rolls stay fluffy and defined.

Additional Notes

• For ultra-clean slices:
  Use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife to cut the rolls.

• If your kitchen is cold:
  Let the dough rise inside the oven with just the light on.

• Want them extra gooey?
  Slightly press the centers down gently after the second rise to create little cinnamon pockets.