Description
These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting are a deliciously soft and fluffy breakfast treat. Made from scratch with a rich cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with a smooth, sweet maple-infused cream cheese frosting, these rolls are perfect for sharing with family and friends. The dough is made using an electric stand mixer and allowed to rise twice for optimal fluffiness. Baking them to a golden perfection and finishing with the decadent frosting makes these cinnamon rolls a perfect weekend indulgence.
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 Scalded Milk: Heat the milk gently in a saucepan until it is scalded, with small bubbles appearing around the edges and steaming but not boiling.
- Mix Dough Ingredients: Pour the scalded milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until combined and let cool to about 105°F to prevent killing the yeast.
- Add Yeast, Eggs, and Flour: Add instant yeast and beaten eggs to the milk mixture and mix. Gradually incorporate the flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides, soft but slightly sticky. Knead for 5 minutes.
- First Dough Rise: Transfer dough to a large greased bowl, cover it, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Roll Out Dough: Punch down the dough and place on a floured surface. Roll out into an 18×12-inch rectangle.
- Prepare Filling: Spread softened butter evenly over the rolled dough. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly over the buttered dough.
- Form Rolls: Starting from the longer side, roll the dough tightly into a log and pinch the seam closed. Cut the log into 12 equal portions.
- Second Dough Rise: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place rolls in three across and four down. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: While rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake Rolls: Once risen, bake rolls for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove carefully and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, softened butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract, and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Frost and Serve: Spread the maple cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cinnamon rolls. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Scalding milk properly is important for the texture of the dough and also helps dissolve sugar and butter well.
- Make sure the milk mixture is warm but not hot when adding yeast to avoid killing it.
- Letting the dough rise twice ensures fluffy, tender cinnamon rolls.
- Allow the rolls to cool before frosting; otherwise, the frosting will melt and become runny.
- Use high-quality maple extract for authentic flavor in the frosting.
- For softer rolls, cover with a clean kitchen towel instead of plastic wrap during rising.
- Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
