Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch
Spoil your loved ones with these fluffy, soft, and moist Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls made from scratch! Slathered with a generous layer of silky cream cheese icing, they are the perfect breakfast treat or late-night snack when you crave something sweet.
Ingredients
For Making the Dough
- 180 ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- 45 g unsalted butter
- 7 g yeast
- 50 g caster sugar
- 380 g plain white flour / all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 medium egg
For the Cinnamon Filling
- 70 g brown sugar
- 45 g unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
- 75 g chopped walnuts
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 115 g full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese
- 30 g unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 80 g icing sugar - powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Preparing the Dough
- Place the milk in a saucepan and gently warm it over low heat.
- When the milk is warm add the butter and let it melt, making sure to remove it from the heat to prevent overheating. The mixture should be between 40° C - 45° C (105° F -115° F).
- Place the warm milk and butter mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, and stir in the yeast. Let it foam for approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl and mix well until all are combined and formed a dough.
- To complete the process, incorporate the egg into the mixing bowl and continue whisking until the dough forms and separates from the sides. This usually takes 4 to 5 minutes, resulting in a soft, slightly sticky, and stretchy texture. If the dough remains excessively sticky, add a small amount of flour until it reaches a somewhat sticky but still very soft and manageable consistency. I typically begin with 350 grams of flour and adjust gradually until achieving the desired texture.
- Turn the dough to a lightly floured surface and form a dough ball.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and place the dough ball into it. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Shaping the Cinnamon Rolls
- Turn the dough on a lightly floured working top, and sprinkle some more flour on the dough ball.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough ball out into a 35cm x 28cm (14" × 11") rectangle. The size of the rectangle can vary slightly, it does not have to be exact.
- Spread the softened butter over the dough with an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts evenly over the butter into a thin layer.
- Tightly roll the dough from the long side to the long side to turn it into a log.
- Place parchment paper in your air fryer basket and cut the log into 8 or 9 equal rolls. For context, my air fryer basket is 23 cm x 23 cm (9" x 9") and can comfortably fit 9 cinnamon rolls. If your air fryer is smaller, I suggest doing it in two batches to ensure even cooking and prevent overcrowding the basket.
- Place the rolls in the air fryer basket leaving approximately an inch of space around them.
- Cover the air fryer basket with a clean kitchen towel and allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until nearly double.
Baking the Cinnamon Rolls
- When the cinnamon rolls are doubled in size, place them into your air fryer and bake them at 190° C (375° F) for 6 minutes.
- Flip them gently and bake them for another 5 to 6 minutes, until they are nicely browned.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting while the cinnamon rolls are baking.
- Place the softened butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla paste into a medium-sized bowl.
- Using a whisk or a hand blender, whip them until smooth and all incorporated.
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool down for 10 minutes before covering them with the cream cheese frosting.
Video
Notes
- Bring the butter, eggs, and cream cheese to room temperature by taking them out of the fridge for at least an hour before starting the dough. This helps the dough rise better and makes your cinnamon rolls lighter and fluffier.
- Use a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients as precisely and accurately as possible.
- The milk and butter mixture should be between 40° C - 45° C (105° F -115° F), close to lukewarm when touched.
- If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour until it's somewhat sticky but still very soft and easy to work with. Avoid adding too much flour!
- Mix until everything is just combined and knead the dough for only a few minutes until it forms a smooth and elastic ball. Overworking the dough can lead to tough cinnamon rolls.
- Cutting the rolls evenly ensures even cooking and a more appealing appearance. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss.