Frosted Cinnamon Rolls

Frosted cinnamon rolls are a classic breakfast treat for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, or any occasion where you want to make special for those you love.

Frosted Cinnamon Rolls:

Frosted cinnamon rolls have been a long time favorite treat of mine for my entire life. Growing up they were always the go-to holiday breakfast of choice and it's a tradition I've carried on in my own family. This has been our go-to recipe for cinnamon rolls for several years because you can do all the leg work the night before and then put the cinnamon rolls in the fridge overnight, and then take them out in the morning for the final rise while the oven is heating up. It makes it really convenient for those holiday mornings where you want something yummy but don't want to be away in the kitchen the entire time. 

Making Cinnamon Roll Dough:

Making cinnamon roll dough can be tricky if you're new to working with bread and yeast recipes. I used to be super intimidated by this process but I've gotten comfortable with it the more and more I practice. TO make this dough you're going to start off by allowing the yeast to bloom in your warm water. I use a food thermometer to make sure my water is 110º. I'm able to get this temperature right from my tap. This is the perfect temperature because the water is warm enough for the yeast to bloom, not too hot that it kills the yeast, and not too cold that the yeast never blooms. 

Once the yeast has bloomed you'll add in your flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and butter. Mix this really well. You can use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, but I actually prefer to mix and work my dough by hand. Mostly because I don't have a mixture, and also because I got rid of my mixer by choice a few years ago and have just never looked back. I'm a rebel. 

Once your dough has been well mixed and kneaded for about 10 minutes, let it rise in a well greased bowl for 2 hours. The dough will double in size and the oil on the bowl helps to make sure the dough doesn't get stuck to the edges of the bowl. 

When the dough is done rising, roll it out into a rectangle, spread the filling, roll the dough up, and cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Place them in a 9x13 baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight until you're ready to bake in the morning. 

Baking the Next Morning:

When you are ready to bake these cinnamon rolls, simply pull them out of the fridge and allow them to rise on the counter for about 30-40 minutes while you're preheating your oven. When the oven has preheated and the rolls have doubled in size, bake them in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

The Best Icing for Cinnamon Rolls:

I know a lot of people love cream cheese frosting for their cinnamon rolls. That is not my preference ever. In our house we made a vanilla icing which consists of powdered sugar, vanilla, butter, and a splash of milk. The result is a thin, but delicious icing that melts over the cinnamon roll and tastes amazing. It's sweet, but not super tangy like a cream cheese frosting can be. 

Baking the Cinnamon Rolls the Same Day:

If you don't want to wait to bake these overnight you can cook them the same day you make the dough. To do this you will simply cut the cinnamon rolls like normal and place them in your 9x13 pan. Let them double in size for 30 minutes while the oven is preheating. When the oven reaches 350 degrees bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

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