Soft, fluffy rolls with a gooey cinnamon-sugar center and thick, tangy cream cheese frosting.
These gooey cinnamon rolls are soft and fluffy with a thick, buttery cinnamon-sugar swirl and a blanket of tangy cream cheese frosting that melts into every layer. The dough is enriched and forgiving, and the filling stays gooey right in the center.
Why you'll want it now, Warm cinnamon rolls with a gooey middle and cream cheese frosting melting into the swirl.
Why this recipe works
A soft enriched dough with melted butter, milk, and an egg bakes up pillowy and tender. A brown-sugar-and-butter filling melts into a gooey cinnamon swirl instead of drying out, and frosting the rolls while they're still warm lets the cream cheese frosting sink into every layer.
Equipment
Stand mixer with dough hook (or a large bowl)
Rolling pin
9 x 13 in (23 x 33 cm) baking pan
Parchment paper
Sharp knife or unflavored dental floss
Offset spatula
How to make it
In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together and let it sit 5 minutes until foamy.
Add the melted butter, egg, salt, and 4 cups (480 g) of the flour. Mix with the dough hook until a soft dough forms, adding more flour a tablespoon at a time until it pulls away from the bowl but still feels slightly tacky.
Knead on medium-low for 6–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Roll the dough on a floured surface into a roughly 16 x 12 in (40 x 30 cm) rectangle.
Spread the very soft butter over the dough, then mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly all the way to the edges.
Starting from a long side, roll the dough into a tight log. Cut into 12 even rolls with floss or a sharp knife and arrange them in a parchment-lined pan.
Cover and let rise again for 30–45 minutes, until puffy and touching. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F.
Bake 22–26 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers reach about 190°F.
Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Spread over the rolls while they're still warm so it melts into the swirls.
Pull one from the center, watch the frosting slide into the swirl, and dig in warm.
How you'll know it's ready
The rolls are puffed and touching, the tops are lightly golden, and the center roll springs back and reads about 190°F. If the centers still look doughy and pale, give them a few more minutes so the middle isn't gummy.
Convection oven? (and if you don't have one)
A standard oven at 350°F is all you need, these rolls are written for it and bake up soft and even. If you have a convection oven, lower the temperature to 325°F; the fan browns the tops faster, so tent them loosely with foil if they color before the centers reach 190°F. Whichever oven you have, go by the center roll, not just the timer.
Frosting, filling & glaze notes
The frosting should be thick and spreadable but soft enough to sink into the warm rolls, like soft peanut butter. If it's stiff, beat in a teaspoon of milk; if it's runny, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.
That soft, gooey texture up close.
Troubleshooting
Rolls turned out tough or dense? The dough had too much flour or didn't rise long enough, keep it slightly tacky and let it fully double.
Filling leaked out into a puddle? Roll the log tightly and let the rolls cool 5 minutes before frosting so the gooey filling sets a little.
Centers gummy? They were underbaked. Bake until the middle reads 190°F, tenting with foil if the tops brown too fast.
Dry rolls? Don't overbake, and frost while warm, the frosting adds moisture back into the tops.
Storage
Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Warm a roll for 15–20 seconds in the microwave to bring back the gooey center.
Make ahead
Overnight option: after cutting and arranging the rolls, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to finish rising, then bake as directed.
Variations
Sticky caramel pecan: pour a brown-sugar caramel and pecans in the pan before adding the rolls, then flip after baking.
Orange sweet rolls: add orange zest to the filling and the frosting.
Extra gooey: drizzle 2 tablespoons of heavy cream over the risen rolls right before baking.
Chocolate chip: sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling.
Small-batch: halve everything and bake in an 8 x 8 in (20 x 20 cm) pan for 6 rolls.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make cinnamon rolls gooey in the middle?
Use a generous butter-and-brown-sugar filling, roll the log tightly, and frost the rolls while warm so the cream cheese frosting melts into the center.
Can I make cinnamon rolls the night before?
Yes. Shape them, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Let them warm and finish rising for about 45 minutes in the morning, then bake.
Why did my cinnamon rolls come out dry?
Usually too much flour or overbaking. Keep the dough slightly tacky, bake just until the center reaches 190°F, and frost while warm.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant?
Yes, proof it in the warm milk with the sugar for 8–10 minutes until foamy, then continue as written.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving: 1 cinnamon roll (100 g)
Calories430
Total Fat19 g
Saturated Fat11 g
Cholesterol65 mg
Sodium250 mg
Total Carbohydrate60 g
Dietary Fiber2 g
Total Sugars27 g
Protein7 g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients used and may vary depending on brands and exact measurements.
Recipe from softsweetdough.com · Soft, sweet desserts worth every bite.
