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This homemade giant cinnamon roll with cream cheese glaze is simply irresistible! Perfect for weekend brunch, the layered slices taste like a cinnamon roll meets pull-apart bread. The sweet and tangy cream cheese glaze puts this soft and pillowy cinnamon roll cake over the top! Recipe yields one 9-inch cinnamon roll.
This giant cinnamon roll makes the ultimate breakfast treat! Best of all, you can assemble the entire roll in advance and let it rest in the fridge overnight. The next morning, let the roll rise in a warm spot until puffy and then bake as directed.
For best results, let the baked roll cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing and serving. This prevents the cream cheese glaze from melting right off into the pan.
How to Make One Giant Cinnamon Roll
Combine 2 cups (280 g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixer bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds until incorporated.
Heat milk for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until very warm (120-130°F). Add warm milk, butter, and egg to flour mixture. Mix on low speed for 25 seconds until combined.
Mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour on low speed for 20 seconds, just until incorporated and a soft dough forms.
Knead dough on low speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray and cover with plastic. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle. Spread top of the dough with softened butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar-cinnamon filling mixture.
Press filling into dough with a rolling pin. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough rectangle into six strips.
Roll up one strip into a coil and place it in the center of prepared baking dish (this is the center of the giant cinnamon roll).
Continue spiraling the remaining strips around the center roll, until you’ve used up all the strips. If any of the cinnamon-sugar filling falls out, sprinkle it over the top of the roll.
Cover giant cinnamon roll loosely with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Bake roll in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Drizzle or pour cream cheese glaze over warm roll before slicing into wedges and serving.
Freezing Tips
To freeze baked cinnamon roll (unglazed), cool roll to room temperature. Tightly cover the entire pan with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze baked roll up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to heat, defrost the roll at room temperature (still covered to prevent condensation from forming). Warm roll in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Top with cream cheese glaze and enjoy!
More delicious yeast bread recipes:
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Giant Cinnamon Roll with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: One 9-inch cinnamon roll
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Follow these steps at home to make one giant cinnamon roll with cream cheese glaze! Perfect for weekend brunch, the layered slices taste like a cinnamon roll meets pull-apart bread. The sweet and tangy cream cheese glaze puts this soft and pillowy cinnamon roll cake over the top! Recipe yields one 9-inch cinnamon roll.
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 1/2 cups (490 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 package (7 g) instant yeast
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 g) low-fat milk
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
Filling
- 5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz (113 g) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 Tbsp (45 g) buttermilk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Make dough: Combine 2 cups (280 g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixer bowl; mix on low speed for 30 seconds until incorporated. Heat milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until very warm (120-130°F). Add warm milk, butter, and egg to flour mixture and mix on low speed for 25 seconds until combined. Mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour on low speed for 20 seconds, just until incorporated and a soft dough forms.
- Switch out the flat beater for a dough hook, and knead dough on low speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic. The dough is ready when it feels tacky but doesn’t stick to your fingers (if necessary, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time while kneading – see note below).
- First rise: Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray and cover with plastic. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
- To check if dough has doubled, lightly flour two fingers and press them down into center of dough. If indentations remain, gently press down dough; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Use a pastry brush to coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish or cake pan with softened butter.
- Assembly: Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and roll into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread dough with softened butter. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl; sprinkle over dough and press gently into dough with rolling pin.
- Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into six equal strips (each strip will be approximately 2-inches wide). Start with one strip and roll it up. Place filling side up in the center of prepared baking dish (this is the center of the giant cinnamon roll). Take the next strip and spiral it around the center roll. Continue assembling this way, starting each strip at the end of the previous strip, until you’ve used up all the strips.
- Second rise: Cover loosely with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. While the cinnamon roll rises, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake giant cinnamon roll for 35 minutes, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F. Tent with foil to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
- Make glaze: Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until smooth. Beat in salt and vanilla extract. Gradually mix in powdered sugar on low speed until combined. Mix in buttermilk (or heavy cream) 1 tablespoon (15 g) at a time, until glaze can be poured or drizzled. Drizzle or pour glaze over warm cinnamon roll before serving (save any extra glaze in the refrigerator to serve with leftovers).
- Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-warm in a warm oven (325°F) or in the microwave for about 15 seconds before serving.
Notes
Extra flour: Feel the texture of the dough with your fingers before adding any additional flour. The dough should feel tacky (but not sticky). I very rarely need to add any additional flour during the kneading process.
Cream cheese glaze: Save any extra glaze tightly covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator to serve with leftovers the next day.
Make ahead: Work up to step 6. Cover the cinnamon roll with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 16 hours. On baking day, remove the chilled roll from the refrigerator and let rise in a warm place until puffy (about 45 minutes). Bake as directed.
Love this recipe, my cinnamon roll turned out perfectly. The photos were so helpful, will be making this again soon!
Thanks so much, Hillary! Glad to hear this recipe was a success! 🙂
My kids and I made this for Easter brunch and it turned out so well! Incredibly delicious, fun to make, and great to make ahead (we followed the overnight directions). The glaze was a huge hit too!
Thanks so much, Caitlin! Happy to hear this roll was a hit! 🙂