Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

If you have a bread machine tucked away in the cupboard, this is the perfect reason to bring it back out. These bread machine cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and finished with a rich cream cheese frosting that melts beautifully over the warm rolls.

Making homemade cinnamon rolls can feel like a big project, but using a bread machine makes the dough simple and reliable. The machine does the mixing, kneading, and first rise for you, so you can enjoy tender cinnamon rolls with much less hands-on work.

overhead shot of cinnamon rolls in pan
Table Of Contents
  1. Ingredients
  2. How to Make
  3. Tips For Making Cinnamon Rolls
  4. Storing Rolls
  5. FAQs
  6. More Breakfast Recipes
  7. Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls Creation

If you love warm, bakery-style cinnamon rolls, this bread machine version is a wonderful recipe to keep on hand. It is especially helpful for holiday mornings, weekend brunch, family breakfasts, or any time you want a homemade treat without kneading dough by hand.

This Bread Machine Cinnamon Roll Recipe Is:

  • Made from scratch
  • Prepared with simple pantry ingredients
  • Soft, fluffy, and tender
  • Filled with cinnamon brown sugar
  • Topped with cream cheese frosting
  • Freezer friendly
ingredients in containers for bread machine cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

These homemade cinnamon rolls use classic baking ingredients. The bread machine helps bring the dough together, while the cinnamon filling and cream cheese frosting add the sweet, rich flavor everyone expects from a good cinnamon roll.

  • Bread flour
  • Bread machine yeast or active dry yeast
  • Brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Cream cheese
  • Salt
  • Powdered sugar

How to Make

The full recipe is included below, but this section gives you a simple step-by-step overview. The bread machine takes care of the dough, then you roll, fill, slice, rise, bake, and frost the rolls.

bread machine dough

Step One: Add the cinnamon roll dough ingredients to your bread machine in the order recommended by your bread machine manual. Each machine can be slightly different, so always follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Step Two: Select the dough cycle and let the bread machine mix, knead, and rise the dough. This gives you a soft, workable dough without the extra effort of kneading by hand.

Step Three: Once the dough cycle is complete, preheat the oven and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set the pan aside while you shape the rolls.

how to make cinnamon rolls collage

Step Four: Open the bread machine, gently punch down the dough, and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, aiming for about 16 inches by 22 inches.

Step Five: Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Spread softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top.

cinnamon cinnabons cutting and placing in pan to rise

Step Six: Roll the dough tightly into a long log. Slice it into 12 equal portions and place the rolls in the prepared baking dish.

Step Seven: Cover the dish and let the cinnamon rolls rise for 30 to 60 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.

two pictures of cinnamon rolls done in pan and then image frosting

Step Eight: Bake the cinnamon rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through and lightly golden on top.

Step Nine: While the rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Spread it over the warm cinnamon rolls before serving.

Tips For Making Cinnamon Rolls

For the best bread machine cinnamon rolls, start by checking your bread machine manual. Some machines require wet ingredients first, while others call for dry ingredients first. The order matters because it helps the yeast activate properly and allows the dough to develop the right texture.

Use bread flour for a soft, bakery-style roll. Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which helps create a tender, pull-apart texture. Be sure to measure the flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than packing it down.

Always preheat the oven before baking. Placing risen cinnamon rolls into a fully heated oven helps them bake evenly and gives them a better finish.

If the dough feels too elastic after removing it from the bread machine, let it rest for about 5 minutes before rolling it out. This short rest makes the dough easier to work with and helps prevent it from shrinking back as you roll.

You can brush the rolls with milk, melted butter, or an egg wash before baking if you want a more golden top. For the frosting, make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened so the mixture turns smooth and creamy instead of lumpy.

Cinnamon rolls close up in glass dish

Storing Rolls

Refrigerate: Because these cinnamon rolls are topped with cream cheese frosting, they should be stored in the refrigerator. Place them in a covered dish or airtight container and refrigerate for 4 to 6 days.

You can enjoy them cold, but they taste especially good when warmed briefly in the microwave. Heating them helps soften the roll and gives the frosting a freshly made texture.

Freeze: These bread machine cinnamon rolls can also be frozen. Place them in an airtight container and freeze for 3 to 4 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or defrost individual rolls in the microwave when you are ready to serve.

FAQs

Here are answers to common questions about making cinnamon rolls in a bread machine.

Is it better to use bread flour for cinnamon rolls?

Yes, bread flour can improve the texture of cinnamon rolls. It helps create soft, fluffy, tender rolls with a pull-apart texture that feels closer to bakery-style cinnamon rolls.

What’s the difference between all-purpose flour and bread flour?

Bread flour contains more protein than all-purpose flour. That extra protein helps develop gluten, which gives bread and rolls a lighter, fluffier texture. All-purpose flour can work in many recipes, but it may produce a denser roll.

Why is my cinnamon roll dough dry?

Dry cinnamon rolls can happen if the rolls are overbaked or if too much flour is added. For best results, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with a flat edge instead of scooping directly from the bag.

What is the difference between sticky buns and cinnamon rolls?

Sticky buns usually have a caramel-style topping, often with nuts, placed in the bottom of the pan before baking. After baking, they are flipped so the sticky topping covers the rolls. Cinnamon rolls are usually topped with frosting or icing after baking.

cinnamon roll on plate

More Breakfast Recipes

  • Mickey’s Breakfast Pizza
  • Sausage Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
  • Blueberry Pancake Muffins
  • Cinnamon Roll Cake
overhead shot of cinnamon rolls in pan
Created by: Kelsey

Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls Creation

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Bread machine cinnamon rolls are a simple way to make homemade cinnamon roll dough with less hands-on effort. These rolls are soft, fluffy, filled with cinnamon sugar, and finished with cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 35 mins

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • 1 cup milk warmed to 110 degrees
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 cup butter melted
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast or active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour scooped and leveled

Cinnamon Roll Filling

  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Add all cinnamon roll dough ingredients to your bread machine in the order recommended by your bread machine manual.
  • Select the dough cycle and allow the machine to mix, knead, and rise the dough.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
  • When the dough is ready, punch it down and place it on a lightly floured surface. If the dough feels too elastic, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
  • Roll the dough into a thin rectangle, about 16 inches by 22 inches.
  • Spread softened butter over the dough, leaving about 1 inch uncovered along one edge. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
  • Roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut into 12 equal rolls and place them in the prepared baking pan.
  • Cover the pan with a towel and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are cooked through and golden on top.
  • Beat the cream cheese frosting ingredients together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Spread the frosting over the warm rolls, then slice and serve.

Notes

Bread Machine Dough: Bread machines vary, so follow your machine’s instructions for ingredient order. This helps the dough mix and rise correctly.

Frosting: Cream cheese frosting gives these rolls a rich finish, but you can also use a simple glaze or serve them plain.

Storage: Refrigerate the frosted cinnamon rolls because of the cream cheese frosting. They may also be frozen for 3 to 4 months.

Equipment

  • Bread machine
  • Rolling pin
  • Measuring cups
  • 9×13-inch baking dish

Nutrition

Serving: 1g
Bread machine cinnamon rolls