Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Here’s how to make homemade cinnamon rolls with buttermilk icing. Guaranteed to help you win Sunday brunch every time! (credit goes to a friends family for letting me try out their recipe)

NOTE: Melted butter is used in both the filling and the dough, as well as to grease the pan; melt the total amount (8 tablespoons) at once and measure it out as you need it. The buns are best eaten warm, but they hold up well for up to 2 hours. Makes 8.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, melted, for greasing the pan

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

¾ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Biscuit Dough

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Icing

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter into a 9-inch nonstick cake pan; brush to coat the pan. Spray a wire cooking rack with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

For the cinnamon-sugar filling:

2. Combine the sugars, spices, and salt in a small bowl. Then, add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture resembles wet sand; set the filling mixture aside.

For the biscuit dough:

3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter in a measuring cup or small bowl. Then, add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed (the dough will look very shaggy), about 30 seconds. After you’ve mixed the dry and wet ingredients, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy.

4. Pat the dough with your hands unto a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with the filling, leaving a ½-inch border of plain dough around the edges. Press the filling firmly into the dough. Using a spatula, loosen the dough from the work surface. Starting at the long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log. Pinch the seam to seal. Roll the log seam-side down and cut it evenly into 8 pieces. With your hand, slightly flatten each piece of dough to seal the open edges and keep the filling in place. Once each roll is ready, place 1 roll in the center of the prepared nonstick pan, then place the remaining 7 rolls around the perimeter of the pan. Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.

5. Bake until the edges of the buns are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Start checking a couple minutes early; buns should be just firm on the edges when they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to loosen the buns from the pan. Wearing oven mitts, place a large plate over the pan and invert the buns onto the plate. Place a greased cooling rack over the plate and invert the buns onto the rack. Cook about 5 minutes before icing.

For the icing and to finish the buns:

6. While the buns are cooling, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy cleanup); set the rack with the buns over the baking sheet. Whisk the cream cheese and buttermilk in a large nonreactive bowl until thick and smooth (the mixture will look like cottage cheese at first). Add the powdered sugar to the mixture; whisk until a smooth glaze forms, about 30 seconds. Spoon the glaze evenly over the buns, serve immediately.

Enjoy your new go-to homemade cinnamon rolls that will leave you dreaming about your next weekend brunch at home!