Description

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls are soft, tender, and bursting with sweet cinnamon flavor. Perfect for any occasion, from holidays to cozy weekend breakfasts, this recipe guides you through making charming heart-shaped cinnamon rolls with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Made with simple pantry ingredients, these rolls are fun to shape, customizable, and guaranteed to bring warmth and sweetness to your table.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons milk (to achieve desired consistency)

Instructions

Prepare the Dough: Begin by warming your milk until it’s pleasantly warm but not hot. Mix the warm milk with yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar to activate. While waiting for the yeast to foam, combine flour, salt, granulated sugar, eggs, and melted butter in a large bowl. Slowly add the yeast mixture and knead until you have a soft, elastic dough that springs back when poked. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Roll and Shape the Dough: Punch down the risen dough gently and roll it out into a large rectangle roughly 12 by 16 inches. Spread melted butter over the surface, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon and brown sugar. From the long edge, carefully roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice the log into 1.5-inch thick pieces. To form heart shapes, pinch a small slit at the bottom of each slice and create a slight indentation on the top middle to resemble the dip of a heart.
Final Rise and Bake: Place the shaped Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls in a greased baking pan, leaving small spaces between them for expansion. Cover loosely with a damp cloth and allow the rolls to rise for another 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Make the Frosting and Serve: While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting by beating softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a little milk until smooth and spreadable. Once the rolls have cooled slightly, spread or drizzle the frosting generously over the warm rolls for a classic sweet finish.

Notes

Use fresh yeast and check expiration for a good rise.
Add flour gradually to avoid a dry, tough dough.
Use room temperature ingredients to help dough come together smoothly.
Handle dough gently to maintain air bubbles and softness.
Watch oven closely and start checking rolls a few minutes early to prevent overbaking.

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 320
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 220mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 50mg

Keywords: cinnamon rolls, heart shaped cinnamon rolls, breakfast rolls, sweet rolls, cinnamon sugar rolls, cream cheese frosting