Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with 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.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (240 ml)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (85 g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (480–540 g)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft (85 g)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (160 g)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (113 g)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (42 g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
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.
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.
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.
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.