Cinnamon Rolls
October 2, 2024 by Kimberly
When the days get shorter and autumn rolls in, there’s nothing better than a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Soft yeast dough, cinnamon, sugar, and a creamy glaze make this recipe my ultimate comfort classic, one that has become a yearly tradition in our home. Cozy, indulgent, and just perfect for marking the start of fall. These cinnamon rolls are fluffy, sweet, and impossible to resist, filling your kitchen with the scent of warm spices. A bake that turns any chilly day into a cozy moment of pure comfort.
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TOTAL TIME
100 min
SERVES
12 rolls
DIET
vegetarian
EVERY RECIPE DESERVES
A Little Love Letter
There are recipes that feel less like baking and more like holding onto a little piece of childhood. For me, that’s cinnamon rolls. As you might know, I was born and raised in Germany. And when I was a kid, American products were nowhere to be found in German stores. Reese’s? Never heard of them. Five Guys? Not a clue. We had amazing German bakeries, of course, where they offered raisin swirls, streusel buns, all sorts of cakes, breads, but never those soft, fluffy, cream-covered rolls I had only seen in American movies.
Even back then, I was already a little food enthusiast, but I couldn’t imagine what cinnamon rolls might taste like. Sweet and soft, for sure, but beyond that? So at some point, since they simply didn’t exist in Germany, I created my very own cinnamon roll recipe, exactly the way my childhood self would have dreamed them. Pillowy, fluffy, full of cinnamon and sugar, with a creamy glaze that melts into the warm rolls.
And maybe that’s why I love them so much to this day, because they carry that little spark of wonder with them. The rolls are delicious, of course, but they’re also a reminder that food can hold stories, dreams, and even a sense of belonging. It’s a recipe that turned from imagination into reality.
Today, they’ve become a tradition. Every autumn, I pull out this recipe again. The kitchen filling with the scent of cinnamon, everyone at home knowing that cinnamon roll season has officially begun. I love to enjoy them with a big latte or a German Eggnog, lit a cozy candle, and suddenly the world feels just a little more whole again.
Hi, I'm Kimberly.
A hopeless romantic when it comes to food. Every recipe I share is a love letter to food itself. I’m so glad you’re here. Make yourself at home and stay a while.
Love,
Kimberly
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LET’S MAKE A PIECE OF HAPPINESS
Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 100 min
- Yield: 12 rolls
Description
When the days get shorter and autumn rolls in, there’s nothing better than a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Soft yeast dough, cinnamon, sugar, and a creamy glaze make this recipe my ultimate comfort classic, one that has become a yearly tradition in our home. Cozy, indulgent, and just perfect for marking the start of fall. These cinnamon rolls are fluffy, sweet, and impossible to resist, filling your kitchen with the scent of warm spices. A bake that turns any chilly day into a cozy moment of pure comfort.
GOOD TO HAVE ON HAND
- small bowl
- small whisk
- large bowl
- plastic wrap
- two medium bowls
- rolling pin
- sharp knife
- baking dish
- oven
Ingredients
- 500 grams bread flour (in Germany that's Type 550)
- 170 grams yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 130 milliliters full-fat milk
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 21 grams fresh yeast
- 115 grams butter, room temperature
- 150 grams brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 milliliters heavy cream
- 50 milliliters cinnamon oil (optional)
- 120 grams cream cheese
- 120 grams powdered sugar
- 50 grams butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- First, we activate the fresh yeast. Heat 130ml full-fat milk to a temperature between 32°C and 38°C (90°F to 100°F). Add 1 tbsp white sugar and stir well. Crumble in 21g fresh yeast and whisk until fully dissolved. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. You should see small bubbles forming on the surface by then.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add 500g bread flour (Type 550 in Germany), 1/2 tsp salt, 170g yogurt, and 1 egg. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir everything together with a wooden spoon. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead by hand for about 10–15 minutes. The goal is to get a smooth and elastic dough. Using an electric mixer will cut the time in half. The dough is ready when you can stretch a piece thin enough to let light through without tearing. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about an hour until it doubles in size.
- In the meantime, prepare the filling. Mix together 115g room-temperature butter, 150g brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt into a creamy mixture. Set it aside at room temperature.
- Next, prepare the frosting. Mix together 120g cream cheese, 120g powdered sugar, 50g room-temperature butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- After the dough has risen for an hour, it should have doubled in size and is ready to work with. Prepare a large baking dish. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured, clean surface and roll it out to a 50×30 cm (about 20×12 inch) rectangle. Spread the butter-sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough. Then, cut the dough lengthwise into 12 equal strips. Roll each strip into a spiral and place them in the baking dish, forming 3 rows of 4 rolls. Let the rolls rise again for another 30 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before the rising time is up, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Once the rolls have risen, pour 100ml heavy cream and, if you like, 50ml cinnamon oil in between the rolls. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Be careful not to overbake them, as they may become dry.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Take the frosting out of the fridge and spread it evenly over the warm rolls. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Passive Time: 60 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
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Diese Zimtschnecken waren der absolute Wahnsinn! Die werde ich jetzt öfter machen. Danke für das tolle Rezept!
Wie schön zu hören 🙂 Vielen Dank!!