Dulce de Leche Cinnamon Rolls

Name: Dulce de Leche Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 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)); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature (57g)); ¼ cup dulce de leche (88g); 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 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))

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There’s nothing better than the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the morning, except for dulce de leche cinnamon rolls baking in the morning. These dulce de leche filled and glazed cinnamon rolls are sweet, rich, flavorful, and so fluffy. The secret is that the sour cream makes the dough soft and tender, and the dulce de leche adds serious flavor to the rolls.

While this recipe may seem complicated, I promise you it isn’t! The hardest part is being patient while waiting for the dough to rise. Watch everyone’s faces light up when you pull a tray of these cinnamon rolls with dulce de leche out from the oven. They make for the perfect mid-day snack or dessert as well. Want another breakfast favorite? Try my classic cinnamon rolls recipe, blueberry coffee cake recipe, or chocolate chip scones recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make dulce de leche cinnamon rolls.

Sugar — not only does sugar add sweetness to the cinnamon rolls dough, but it also adds moisture.

Yeast — this dulce de leche filled cinnamon rolls recipe uses instant yeast. Make sure you are using the correct yeast, and always double-check that it has not expired and was stored correctly.

Milk — make sure you use whole milk instead of 2% or skim milk for the dough. Whole milk provides the best flavor to the dough and creates a soft and fluffy dough.

Sour cream — full-fat sour cream is ideal for this recipe as it adds moisture, richness, and flavor to the dough. It also tenderizes the dough, giving you a wonderfully soft cinnamon roll.

Butter — be sure to use unsalted butter. For the dulce de leche filling, the butter needs to be at room temperature, or it will not mix or spread well. Butter is at room temperature when it is soft enough to where your finger leaves a dent when you press into it.

Dulce de leche — also known as caramelized milk, dulce de leche has a sweet, butterscotch-like flavor. Make sure you buy dulce de leche and not caramel.

Cream cheese — for the glaze, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor. Make sure you buy the blocks of cream cheese and not the spreadable tubs.

Powdered sugar — you might find it labeled as confectioners’ sugar, icing sugar, and 10X, but they are all the same. If you’ve run out of powdered sugar, see my guide on how to make powdered sugar.

How to Make Dulce de Leche Cinnamon Rolls

Set of two photos showing yeast added to flour and melted butter added to milk.

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, Fleischmann’s^® RapidRise^® Instant Yeast, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2. 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.

Set of two photos showing wet ingredients added to the dry ingredients and mixed to form a bough.

3. Add the milk mixture, egg, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Begin mixing on low speed until the mixture starts to come together.

4. 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. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Set of two photos showing butter mixed into dulce de leche in a bowl and cinnamon roll dough rolled out.

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

6. Turn out the risen dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll the dough into roughly a 12-x18-inch rectangle.

Set of two photos showing cinnamon sprinkled over the dough and filling before being rolled.

7. 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. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.

8. Starting at one long end opposite the unbuttered border, roll up the dough into a tight log.

Set of two photos showing dough cut with string and glaze spooned over the baked rolls.

9. 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 a greased 9-inch baking dish. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

10. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. While the rolls bake, make the glaze by combining the cream cheese, dulce de leche, butter, vanilla, milk, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and then sift in the powdered sugar and beat until well combined. When the rolls finish baking, spread a third of the glaze over the hot rolls. Let cool for 5 minutes, then spread the remaining glaze on top.

A square white baking dish with nine dulce de leche cinnamon rolls.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

If a higher serving size is desired, you can cut the rolled dough log into 12 pieces and place them in a greased 13×9-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.

A plate with a piece of dulce de leche cinnamon roll with a bite on a fork in front.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dulce de leche the same as caramel?

Dulce de leche looks similar to caramel but is not the same. To make dulce de leche, you combine milk and sugar, whereas caramel comes together with water and sugar. As you do not caramelize dulce de leche, you get a nutty, mellow flavor instead.

Can I make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time?

You can refrigerate the dough overnight after you place it in the oiled bowl to rise. In the morning, punch down the dough and roll it out. The second rise will take a bit longer as the dough is cold. Alternatively, you can prepare the rolls up to the second rise the night before, then cover and refrigerate the rolls. In the morning, keep the rolls covered and allow them to rise in a warm area for 1 hour before you bake them.

How do I store leftovers?

These cinnamon rolls with dulce de leche filling and glaze don’t tend to last long in my household! However, if you somehow have leftovers (or made extra!) you can cover them and store them at room temperature for 2 days.

Can I freeze these rolls?

If you’d like to freeze these rolls after baking, hold off on the glaze. Allow them to cool to room temperature, wrap them tightly in plastic, and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw them first before reheating and glazing them.

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