Cinnamon Rolls for a Slow Saturday

There’s something about cinnamon rolls that makes a morning feel like a weekend, even when it isn’t. The dough is forgiving, the house smells incredible, and nobody has ever been sad to see a pan of these come out of the oven.

This recipe makes one 9×13 pan: soft, pillowy dough with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Make-ahead tip

After you shape the rolls, cover the pan and slide it in the fridge for up to 16 hours. In the morning, let it sit on the counter for 45–60 minutes while the oven heats, then bake. Warm cinnamon rolls before your second cup of coffee: that’s the dream.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 12
Prep 40 min + about 2 hr rising
Bake 22–28 min at 350°F

Ingredients

Dough: 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warmed to 105–110°F
2¼ tsp (1 packet) instant or active dry yeast
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp salt
3½–4 cups (440–500 g) all-purpose flour
Filling: ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, very soft
¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
Frosting: 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt

Directions

Stir the warm milk, yeast and a pinch of the sugar together. If you’re using active dry yeast, let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add the rest of the sugar, the egg, yolk, melted butter and salt. Mix in 3½ cups of flour until shaggy, then knead for 6–8 minutes by hand or with a dough hook. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft, smooth and just slightly tacky.
Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise somewhere warm for 1–1½ hours, until doubled.
Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Roll the dough into a 16×12-inch rectangle. Spread with the soft butter, then sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon stirred together. Leave a ½-inch bare strip along one long edge.
Roll up tightly, starting from the long edge with the filling, and pinch the seam closed. Cut into 12 even rolls with unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, then arrange in the pan.
Cover and let rise 30–45 minutes, until puffy and touching. (Or refrigerate overnight; see the tip above.)
Bake at 350°F for 22–28 minutes, until golden and the center roll reaches 190°F.
Beat the frosting ingredients until smooth and spread over the warm rolls.

On slow mornings

Baking to order means most of our mornings start early and move fast. Maybe that’s why a slow Saturday at home feels so precious: no timers, no rush, just dough doing its thing while you sit with your coffee.

Yeast can’t be rushed. Turns out most good things can’t.

Whether you bake these this weekend or order a pan from us, we hope your next morning is a slow one.