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Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls – Homemade Recipe

Heart shaped cinnamon rolls are soft, yeast-raised rolls filled with cinnamon sugar and topped with creamy icing. Shape each strip into a heart, let the rolls rise until puffy, and bake until golden brown.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Rising, standing, and cooling 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 7 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 370

Ingredients
  

Make the dough
  • 0.75 cup whole milk
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, room temperature
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cooking spray for the bowl and baking dish
For the filling
  • 0.33 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar light, packed
  • 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the icing
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan or microwave until it reaches 105–110°F.
  2. Whisk the yeast and granulated sugar into the warm milk and let stand for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
  3. Whisk the egg, melted butter, and salt into the yeast mixture.
  4. Stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. Knead the dough on a clean work surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  6. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in it, and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 1–1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
Fill and shape
  1. Roll the dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle on a clean work surface.
  2. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.
  3. Stir the brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.
  4. Cut the rectangle into 12 strips, each 1 1/2 inches wide and 12 inches long. Roll the short ends of each strip toward the center, pinch the meeting point into a heart’s bottom point, and press a slight notch between the rounded lobes.
  5. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the rolls in it, pointed ends facing down.
  6. Cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy.
  7. Heat the oven to 350°F toward the end of the rise.
Bake the rolls
  1. Bake for 22–27 minutes, until the rolls are puffed and golden brown.
Make and apply the icing
  1. Beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until creamy.
  2. Let the rolls cool in the dish for 10 minutes, then spread the icing over them.

Notes

For clean heart shapes, pinch each strip’s meeting point firmly and press a clear notch between the rounded lobes. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze iced or uniced rolls for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free milk, butter, and cream cheese.