I have been wanting to make the Perfect Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas day breakfast for years! And I decided this is the year to start that new tradition! I decided to try my hand at making the most perfect cinnamon rolls before the big day with all the stress that comes with family in town, presents to unwrap, etc. so we don’t end up eating cereal on Christmas morning.

And let me just say that if you think these are hard to make, let me tell you that I made these cinnamon rolls with 9 people in my kitchen installing new windows and doors, measuring for cabinets, and with half of my kitchen behind plastic sheeting, so if I can make them in the middle of such a circus, then you can certainly make them on Christmas morning! 

We don’t have a big family since both my husband and I are only children, so Christmas is usually just the two of us and both of our parents. Last year we made a full breakfast spread, but combined with making a full Christmas Day dinner, it made for a lot of dirty dishes to clean, so that’s why I think my cinnamon rolls idea is perfect! 

Plus, who doesn’t love a cinnamon roll? They are so ooey gooey good! I’ve often made the store-bought refrigerated ones on Sunday mornings to eat while reading the newspaper, but I’ve been doing a LOT of baking this year, and mostly doing breakfast recipes, so I wanted to add cinnamon rolls to my list of accomplished recipes. 

You’ll need a few ingredients to make the Perfect Cinnamon Rolls, and the printable recipe for these amazing cinnamon rolls is below. 

Ingredients:

• yeast
• milk
• butter
• granulated sugar
• flour
• eggs
• salt
• brown sugar
• ground cinnamon

I like to spread my cinnamon sugar mixture on extra thick, but I like my cinnamon rolls extra cinnamon-y! I also cut my cinnamon rolls using unflavored dental floss, I just find that a knife squishes the dough too much, but the dental floss cuts right through! 

Here’s what you’ll need for the frosting:

• unsalted butter
• powdered sugar
• milk
• vanilla extract
• cream cheese
• salt

These cinnamon rolls were so good! But they might be a bit dense for some people’s tastes, so if you like your cinnamon rolls a bit light and fluffier, you might want tot try the tip of adding one potato (mashed) into the dough. Apparently, it adds “fluff” minus any added gluten.

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• Cinnamon Rolls:
• 3 tsp yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 cups flour, sifted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• Frosting:
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 4 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Start by heating half your milk over medium heat on the stove. Heat it to a simmer, then pour it into a small bowl with the other half of your milk, so it comes to 110 degrees F. Add your yeast to the warm milk with a couple pinches of sugar, whisk it, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. While the yeast is dissolving, add your butter, sugar, salt, eggs, and flour to your stand mixer with the mixing hook and combine.
3. Then switch the dough hook, and when your yeast's 5 minutes are up, add the milk/yeast to the mixer and mix.
4. Then cover your bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
5. When the dough is done rising, roll it out n a lightly covered surface to about the size of 16-18" x 12" at 1/4" thick.
6. Then combine your butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a bowl and mix, then spread the mixture over our dough, leaving a 1" frame all around the dough.
7. Next, take the far long edge of your dough and roll it towards you and the bottom edge.
8. Grease your pan.
9. Then slice the roll into 1 1/2" slices using a knife or a piece of floss (I used floss, it was EASY! (and minty.) and add the rolls to your pan.
10. Once full, cover your rolls with a towel and let them rise again for 30 minutes.
11. You might want to set a timer for 15-20 minutes and preheat your oven to 350 degrees for the last 10-15 minutes.
12. Then bake your cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes.
13. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make your frosting by combining all of the frosting ingredients in a stand mixing bowl and whisking until smooth.
14. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool a bit, then frost generously and serve.
15. Enjoy!
16. Note: prep time does NOT include proofing times.
17. Note: if you would like dough to be fluffier, add 1 potato (mashed) into the dough.

And then let me know in the comments below what you’re planning to make for breakfast on Christmas, just in case I want to change my menu!

 

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