Our warming winter cinnamon roll recipe is the perfect excuse to cosy up on those cold winter evenings. These cinnamon rolls are a super easy treat to bake from scratch, with a delicious and smooth cream cheese frosting.

Make this recipe a-head of time and freeze your rolls, ready for the Christmas period. These classic, homestyle cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy and will be a treat the whole family will want again and again. Filled with sweet cinnamon sugar and layers ravelled in flavour… they really are delicious.

For the Cinnamon Rolls

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 200ml warm milk
• 2 eggs
• 100g butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 2 tbsp golden syrup

For the filling

• 150g light brown soft sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 125g butter, at room temperature

1. Pour all the ingredients into a bowl, except for the butter and golden syrup. Combine everything until it comes together to form a dough, then tip out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.
2. Place your dough back into the bowl and gradually knead in the softened butter, 1-2 tsp at a time, until smooth. Flatten the dough into a square roughly 20cm by 20cm, then cover and freeze for 30 minutes, or chill for at least 1 hr.
3. Line the base and sides of a deep baking tray, roughly 20cm by 30cm.
4. To make the filling, mix sugar with cinnamon and a large pinch of sea salt. Set aside around 2 tbsp before beating in butter to form a thick paste.
5. Lay the dough on a floured surface and roll into a neat rectangle roughly 35cm by 25cm. Completely cover the dough with the filling. Fold the bottom third of the dough into the middle, then fold over again to cover the top third. For the best results, chill the dough again for another 30 minutes.
6. Re-roll the dough to another rectangle about 40cm by 30cm. Roll it up along the long edge into a tight log. To get the neatest spirals, cut in half, lift onto a tray and freeze for 15 mins to firm up, then cut into 12 equal-sized slices.
7. Arrange the slices, spiral side-up, in the tin. Leave to prove in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hrs.
8. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Bake the buns for 20 minutes. Scatter the reserved cinnamon sugar over the buns and bake for 10-15 mins until deep brown.
9. Mix the golden syrup with 2 tsp boiling water. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them with the syrup glaze, then leave to cool a little.
10. To make the icing, beat together the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla. Gradually add 1-2 tbsp boiling water to create a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle the icing over the buns.

For more cosy recipes, check out our Gingerbread recipe and Christmas cookies recipes. For more seasonal inspiration, browse Autumn crafts to enjoy with the grandkids or The best Autumn walks around the UK and brave the brisk British weather.