Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Orange Roll Variation

Yield: 12

Author: Jessica Milnes

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

There is nothing quite like homemade cinnamon rolls, especially when they're warm from the oven and covered in cream cheese frosting!

I love recipes that allow me to make several batches at once and tuck a few away in the freezer for another day. This time, I was making cinnamon rolls for Caleb and Destiny, so they could have something homemade ready to bake whenever they wanted.

I decided to make some traditional cinnamon rolls and some orange cinnamon rolls, too. The orange version uses the same basic dough with a little fresh orange zest and juice, and I think it's such a delicious way to change things up.

These are simple, soft, homemade cinnamon rolls with a buttery brown sugar and cinnamon filling. You can bake them right away or freeze them before their second rise for an easy breakfast later.

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional if needed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2¼ teaspoons yeast
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg

For the Cinnamon Filling

• Softened butter, enough to spread over the rolled-out dough (amount not specified in the video)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 5 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract, to taste (optional)
• A little half-and-half, as needed to thin the frosting

For Orange Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 fresh orange, for zest and juice
• ½ cup softened butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon, optional

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 cups of flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, butter, and whole milk. Warm the mixture until the butter is mostly melted and the liquid is warm, but not hot.
3. Add the egg and warm milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough begins to come together.
4. Knead the dough until smooth, soft, and no longer sticking to your fingers. Add a little additional flour only if needed. The dough should remain soft and not dry.
5. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise until ready to shape.
6. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle.
7. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.
8. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
9. Roll the dough tightly into a log, pinching the seam closed to seal it.
10. Slice the log into 12 rolls and arrange them in a greased baking dish.
11. Cover the rolls and allow them to rise for approximately 20–40 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size.
12. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
13. Brush a little melted butter over the tops of the rolls, if desired.
14. Bake for approximately 20–30 minutes, until the cinnamon rolls are baked through and lightly golden.
15. Remove from the oven and brush with a little additional melted butter if you prefer softer tops.
16. To prepare the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
17. Gradually add the powdered sugar and optional vanilla extract. Add a little half-and-half as needed until the frosting reaches your preferred consistency.
18. Spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

How to Make Orange Cinnamon Rolls

1. Zest one fresh orange and divide the zest into two portions.
2. Add half of the orange zest and half of the orange's juice to the dough along with the warm milk, butter, and water mixture.
3. Prepare the dough using the same instructions as the traditional cinnamon rolls.
4. For the orange filling, combine ½ cup softened butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and the remaining orange zest. Add cinnamon if desired. Jessica likes cinnamon in her orange rolls, but it can be omitted.
5. Spread the orange filling evenly over the rolled-out dough.
6. Roll, slice, and arrange the orange rolls in a greased baking dish.
7. Allow the rolls to rise until nearly doubled, then bake at 350°F for approximately 20–30 minutes.
8. For orange cream cheese frosting, prepare the regular cream cheese frosting and mix in additional fresh orange zest.
9. Spread the orange frosting over the finished rolls.

Notes

I love making these in bigger batches because they freeze beautifully before their second rise.

For Caleb and Destiny, I arranged the unbaked cinnamon rolls in freezer-safe baking pans, covered them with parchment, plastic wrap, and foil, and put them straight into the freezer.

When you're ready to bake them, you can thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then allow them to finish rising before baking.

I also like brushing a little melted butter over the rolls before they go into the oven and again afterward. It helps keep the tops nice and soft instead of getting too crusty.

And don't feel like you have to make the orange version! You can make all traditional cinnamon rolls, all orange rolls, or a little of both.

Freezer Instructions

1. Prepare the cinnamon rolls through slicing and arranging them in a greased, freezer-safe baking pan.
2. Before the second rise, cover the pan with parchment paper, plastic wrap, and foil.
3. Place the pan directly into the freezer.
4. When ready to bake, thaw the rolls overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Allow the thawed rolls to rise until nearly doubled in size. Jessica mentioned approximately 1½ hours, although the actual time will depend on how cold the dough is.
6. Bake at 350°F for approximately 25–30 minutes, or until baked through.
7. Prepare the frosting and spread it over the baked rolls.