Cinnamon Rolls With Bread Machine Dough (Cream Cheese Icing)

Cinnamon rolls with bread machine dough are simple: add the milk, egg, butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast to the pan, run the dough cycle for about 90 minutes, then roll, fill, cut, rise and bake the rolls in the oven. The machine does the kneading and first rise, so your active time is about half an hour. If you are still choosing a machine, our guide to the bread machines with a dependable dough cycle explains which settings matter.

What goes in the bread machine for cinnamon roll dough?

Cinnamon roll dough is an enriched dough: milk, egg and butter make it softer and richer than plain white bread. This batch makes 12 rolls and needs a machine with a 2 lb loaf pan, because 3 1/2 cups of flour is a 2 lb-size batch; the dough cycle only needs room to rise.

The filling and frosting ingredients sit outside the machine: 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup softened butter for the cinnamon filling, plus the cream cheese icing below. This recipe feeds a family of four with leftovers, and the same dough also works for other recipes such as cinnamon knots or sticky buns.

Add the dough ingredients in that order: liquids, egg and butter first, then sugar and salt, then the flour, then the yeast in a small dip on top so it stays dry until the paddle starts. Select the dough cycle, which on most machines runs about 90 minutes. Never use a bake cycle. If your manual lists a different order, such as dry ingredients first, follow the manual.

How do you roll, fill and cut the dough?

When the cycle ends, the dough should be doubled and soft. Turn it onto a lightly floured counter and let it rest for 5 minutes, then roll it into a rectangle 12 inches by 16 inches, about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread 1/4 cup softened butter over the surface, then scatter 3/4 cup packed brown sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons cinnamon, leaving a 1/2 inch border along one long edge. Starting from the opposite long edge, roll the dough up snugly and pinch the seam against the border.

Cut it into 12 slices, each about 1 1/3 inches wide. Dental floss slid under the log and crossed over the top cuts cleaner than a knife, which tends to squash the spirals. Set the rolls in a greased 9 by 13 inch pan, close together but not crushed.

How long should cinnamon rolls rise and bake?

Cover the pan and let the rolls rise in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes, until they look puffy and touch each other. Bake at 350°F for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden on top and the center reads about 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Dough cycle60–90 min

Second rise30–45 min

Bake at 350°F22–25 min

Cool before icing10–15 min

Is it better to bake cinnamon rolls at 350 or 375?

350°F is the safer choice for a full 9 by 13 pan, since the centers set before the edges dry. Use 375°F only if you want deeper color and smaller or thinner rolls.

If the tops brown before the center hits 190°F, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 5 to 8 minutes.

What is the best cream cheese icing for these rolls?

Beat 4 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup softened butter until smooth, then mix in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Loosen it with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk if it is stiff. Spread it over rolls that have cooled 10 to 15 minutes; on piping-hot rolls it melts into a glaze, which some people prefer.

What is the difference between bread dough and cinnamon roll dough?

Bread dough is lean: flour, water, yeast and salt, with little fat or sugar. Cinnamon roll dough adds milk, egg, more butter and more sugar. Fat shortens the gluten strands, which gives a tender, cake-like crumb instead of a chewy one.

Can I use my bread dough recipe to make cinnamon rolls?

Yes. Run your usual white dough on the dough cycle, then roll and fill it the same way. The rolls will be chewier and less sweet. To enrich it, swap the water for milk, add an egg and raise the butter to about 1/3 cup. If your recipe was written for a different loaf size, convert it for your machine first so the flour and yeast stay in proportion.

What is the secret to fluffy cinnamon rolls?

Four things matter most: do not add too much flour while rolling, because a stiff dough bakes dense; use milk and butter at the right temperature, warm milk under 110°F so it does not harm the yeast; let the second rise finish, until the rolls touch; and pull them at 190°F instead of baking until dry.

Can you make cinnamon rolls ahead, overnight or freeze them?

Yes, at three points. Each keeps the schedule flexible, and the second rise is the easiest place to pause.

Is it okay to let cinnamon roll dough rise overnight?

Cut and pan the rolls, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 8 to 14 hours. In the morning, leave the pan on the counter for 30 to 45 minutes, then bake at 350°F.

Can you refrigerate the dough after the first rise?

Yes, for up to 24 hours. Deflate it, wrap it, and chill. Cold dough rolls and cuts more cleanly. Let it sit 20 minutes before rolling.

Baked rolls keep 2 days covered at room temperature. To freeze, wrap them unfrosted and freeze for up to 3 months, then warm at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes and add icing.

What goes wrong with bread machine cinnamon rolls?

• Dense, dry rolls. Too much flour or an overbake. Weigh 440 g flour and stop at 190°F.
• Filling leaks out. The border was not pinched, or the log was rolled loosely. Roll snugly and seal the seam.
• Rolls do not rise. The milk was too hot or the yeast was old. Keep milk at 100 to 110°F and check the yeast date.
• Squashed spirals. A dull knife. Cut with floss or a very sharp serrated blade.
• Icing disappears. The rolls were too hot. Wait 10 to 15 minutes.

Next in this series: How to Make Pizza Dough in a Bread Machine (Easy Recipe)