Have you ever wanted to make the perfect cinnamon roll?

Well, now you can, with this simple recipe that uses a box of cake mix! The cake mix brings out the wonderful flavor of this decadent treat. This recipe is catered to be one of the easiest cinnamon roll recipes out there. You do not need any previous experience making this sweet treat to succeed. These cinnamon rolls will surely put any store-bought ones to shame. The perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar is sure to make your taste buds tingle with joy! I assure you that with every bite you take, you will be craving more and more! I hope you have a blast creating this ooey-gooey goodness!

Let's begin!

Supplies

Mixing bowls, spatula, rolling pin, hand mixer, pastry brush, plastic wrap, baking pan, serrated knife, and a wooden spoon.

Step 1: Ingredients for the Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients for the dough:

1 1/4 cups of warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 box of yellow cake mix
2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3 drops of almond extract (optional)

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting:

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened
4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of milk

Step 2: Preparing the Yeast

Begin by measuring out the ingredients that are needed to make the dough. After all the ingredients are measured, use a medium-sized bowl to mix 1 1/4 cups of warm water and 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast. Do this by pouring the warm water into the medium bowl. Then sprinkle the yeast on the surface of the warm water. Let it stand for 6 minutes. By doing this, you are rehydrating the yeast to become ready to work in your dough.

Step 3: Making the Dough

While the yeast is standing, combine the box of cake mix and 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl. Set aside the remaining flour. Stir the contents until all are combined. After the yeast is done standing, add it to the flour mixture and stir until a dough starts to form. Add remaining flour as needed until a ball starts to form.

Step 4: Letting the Dough Rise

Once the dough has formed, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store it in a warm place. The best place to put it is in an unheated oven with the light on. Let the dough rise for 1 hour or until the size has almost doubled.

Step 5: Punching the Dough

Once the dough has risen, carefully punch the ball of dough until the surface is flat. This process will remove some of the gas bubbles that were formed by the yeast.

Step 6: Adding Flavoring (Optional)

Once the dough has been punched down, you may add any flavoring of your choice. I added 3 drops of almond extract to give the dough a little more flavor, but any extract will do! If you add flavoring, make sure to mix it all in the dough before rolling.

Step 7: Rolling Out the Dough

When the dough is ready, shape it into a ball and place it on a flat surface. Lightly sprinkle the remaining flour from the recipe around your surface to ensure that the dough does not stick. Next, grab a rolling pin and start to roll out the dough. When you get done rolling, the thickness of the dough should be about 1/4-1/2 of an inch thick.

Step 8: Mixing the Sugar

After you have rolled out the dough, mix 3/4 cup of brown sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir until both ingredients are distributed evenly.

Step 9: Butter It Up!

Melt 3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter and spread on the surface of your cinnamon roll dough. In the end, there should be a fairly reasonable amount of butter covering the dough. The more butter, the more the cinnamon and sugar will stick!

Step 10: Sprinkle the Sugar and Spice

After you butter up the dough, take the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture and sprinkle it on the surface of the dough. Make sure to cover the entire surface. It is best to use up all of the mixtures to ensure extra sweetness!

Step 11: Rolling and Cutting

After the dough is coated with brown sugar and cinnamon, start at the bottom and tightly roll the dough into a log. Next, grab a serrated knife and cut the dough into sections 1 inch thick. The result should be about 12 rolls.

Step 12: Preparing the Pan

Next, spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray to ensure that the rolls don't stick to the pan. Carefully place your cinnamon rolls into 3 rows of 4. Make sure that they aren't too close together, or else they won't rise evenly.

Step 13: Allow the Rolls to Rise

After the pan is prepared and the rolls are placed, cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 30 minutes.

Step 14: Making the Frosting

While the rolls are rising, start to make the cream cheese frosting. Begin by combining 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter and 4 ounces of cream cheese, both softened. Using an electric mixer, whip the ingredients until smooth. Next, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the cream cheese and butter mixture. Mix until combined. To make the frosting sweet, add 1 cup of powdered sugar and carefully mix the ingredients. Finally, add 1/4 cup of milk to make the frosting runny. It should be in a pourable consistency. Set aside for later use.

Step 15: Baking the Cinnamon Rolls

After the cinnamon rolls have risen, remove the plastic wrap. Set the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the rolls on the lower rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Step 16: Frosting the Rolls

After the cinnamon rolls are finished cooking, take them out of the oven to cool for 5 minutes. After they are done cooling, grab the frosting and cover the cinnamon rolls with the cream cheese frosting.