You can’t go wrong with homemade cinnamon rolls, and I’ll tell you what you can make and eat them any time of day! With a warm, gooey, fall-apart-in-your-mouth center and smooth, creamy frosting on top, there’s no better way to start the morning or enjoy an afternoon break.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
- ¾ cup whole milk, lukewarm
- 1 ounce packet instant yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make It
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For the cinnamon rolls
- Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Stir lightly. Set aside until the yeast is foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. On low speed, beat in the remaining granulated sugar. Add the salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of the flour and mix until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add the remaining ¾ cup flour, ¼ cup at a time, until a soft dough forms and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes more to knead the dough. Cover the bowl of the mixer with a clean dish towel and let rest for 15 minutes. For the filling
- Prepare the slow cooker by lining the inside with parchment paper and spraying with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, granulated sugar, and pecans.
- Turn the dough out onto a board and roll it out to an 8 × 14–inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough.
- Roll the dough tightly starting from one long edge, then slice it crosswise into 10 even pieces. Arrange the rolls inside the lined slow cooker. Place a long piece of paper towel over the top of the slow cooker and cover with the lid.
- Cook on High for 2 hours. Once the rolls are completely cooked, transfer them to a serving platter by lifting out the parchment paper. For the cream cheese frosting
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
