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Dulce de Leche Cinnamon Rolls

Filled with dulce de leche and glazed with more, these cinnamon rolls are such a delicious way to kick-start your day. Soft, sweet, and tender, these rolls are perfect for a weekend brunch but fancy enough for special occasions!
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 9 cinnamon rolls
Calories 512kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Mixer
  • 9-inch baking dish

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour (420g) plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 (0.25-oz/7g) package Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise Instant Yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g)
  • ½ cup whole milk (105-110F) (120mL)
  • ½ cup sour cream (120g)
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15mL)

For the Filling:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (57g)
  • ¼ cup dulce de leche 88g
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature (113g)
  • 2 tablespoons dulce de leche (30mL)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons milk (45ml)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)

Instructions

For the Dough:

  • In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 15 seconds intervals until melted. Add the milk and sour cream and heat for another 15 seconds just to warm. Whisk together until well combined.
  • Add the milk mixture, egg, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Begin mixing on low speed until the mixture starts to come together. Increase the speed to medium-low and continue kneading until the dough is springy and tacky to the touch but doesn’t stick to your fingers, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place (about 75F) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

For the Filling:

  • Once the dough is done rising, mix together the butter and dulce de leche in a medium bowl.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

For the Assembly:

  • Lightly grease a 9-inch baking pan with butter or baking spray.
  • Turn out the risen dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll the dough into roughly a 12-x18-inch rectangle.
  • Spread the butter mixture onto the dough in a thin and even layer, leaving a ½-inch border down one long side of the dough. (If the mixture is too firm to spread easily, microwave it in 5-second increments until easily spreadable.) Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.
  • Starting at one long end opposite the unbuttered border, roll up the dough into a tight log. Cut the log into 9 equal pieces (about 2 inches wide) using a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss.
  • Place the rolls cut side down and evenly spaced in the prepared baking dish. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F while rising.
  • Uncover and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Place on a wire rack to cool.

For the Glaze:

  • While the rolls are baking, combine the cream cheese, dulce de leche, butter, vanilla, milk, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Beat together on medium speed until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until well combined. (For a thinner consistency, beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.)
  • When the rolls are right out of the oven, spread a third of the glaze over the hot rolls. Let cool for 5 minutes, then spread the remaining glaze on top. The rolls are best enjoyed warm but can be covered and stored at room temperature for 2 days.

Video

Notes

  • If a higher serving size is desired, you can cut the rolled dough log into 12 pieces and place them in a greased 13x9-inch baking pan. They may cook about 5 minutes faster, so start checking them after 20 minutes.
  • For a warm spot to rise the dough, begin preheating the oven at 350°F for 1 minute, then turn it off. The oven will be at the perfect warm temperature to rise in with the door closed. Just make sure to take the dish out of the oven before preheating for bake time!
  • A digital kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure your flour because adding too much flour will lead to dense rolls. If you do not have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon and scoop it into your measuring cups before leveling off the top with a knife. Doing so will ensure you do not overpack the measuring cup.
  • If you don’t have brown sugar, you can follow this post on how to make brown sugar.
  • Be careful not to overmix the dough. If you do, the cinnamon rolls will become dense, tough, and heavy. However, make sure you do not undermix the dough, as it’ll yield a doughy weak bun. The dough should pull away from the mixing bowl and be springy and tacky to the touch but not so sticky that it sticks to your fingers.
  • Room temperature egg will mix more evenly into the dough. Place your egg into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Doing so will quickly bring it to room temperature if you have forgotten to take it out of your fridge ahead of time.
  • When heating the milk to 105-110F, make sure you use a thermometer for accuracy. If the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 775IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg