Cinnamon Buns
This recipe makes the most amazing soft, and gooey cinnamon buns that are so good you will never visit Cinnabon again.
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1 cup warm milk whole milk or 2% preferred
- 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted (Melted, but make sure it isn't over 110º Fahrenheit. Just softened is fine.)
- 3 cups of bread flour or all-purpose flour spooned & leaveled, plus more as needed for hands/work surface
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream for pouring over the risen rolls right before baking
FILLING
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground saigon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup salted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
DOUGH
- Warm milk to around 110 degrees F. I like to do this by placing milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving it for 40-45 seconds. It should be warm but not hot to the touch (about 105 - 110 degrees F). If it is too hot, make sure to let it cool before adding to the yeast to prevent killing the yeast.
- Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top with a teaspoon of sugar (taking a teaspoon out of the 1/3 cup of sugar) Let it sit for about 3 minutes. You don’t need to do this step however, I still do this step and believe it is important to dissolve the yeast in a little bit of milk and sugar to help activate the yeast and get it started.
- Add in eggs, melted butter and remaining sugar. Mix until well combined with a wooden spoon.
- Next, continue with wooden spoon stirring in the flour and salt until a dough begins to form.
- Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough until a large ball is formed for approximately 8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and only slightly tacky to the touch. If the dough seems too sticky (meaning its sticking to the bottom of the mixer and is not forming a ball, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a smooth ball is formed. (If you don’t want to use an electric mixer, you can use your hands to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes on a well-floured surface).
- Transfer the dough ball to a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. This may be more or less time depending on the humidity and temperature in your home. Pro Tip: I like to turn on the oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the oven and place the dough to rise in there. It normally takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy.
- After the dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into an approximate 18 X 12 to 20 X 14 inch rectangle. This shape doesn’t have to be perfect, but the straighter the edges are, the more uniform your cinnamon rolls will be.
MAKE YOUR FILLING
- While the dough is rising, make the filing. In a medium bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until mixture is homogeneous (uniform throughout). Set aside.
- Spread the filling all over the dough right to the edges using greased hands or a greased spatula. This process can seem difficult but it gets easier as you spread it.
- Tightly roll dough up as tight as you can, starting from the long end and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can.
- Cut into 12 even rolls with sewing thread or unflavoured floss 10-12 inches long.
- Place cinnamon rolls in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan in 4 rows of three, evenly spaced. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes until doubled in size and puffed up.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it hot, you just don’t want it cold. It should be warm to the touch.
- Once the rolls have risen, remove plastic wrap and towel and pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through and no longer doughy. (Note: the time will vary based on how big the rolls are, what type of pan, how close the rolls are packed, etc. They could take up to 25-27 minutes. Check the rolls at 20 minutes. If they are getting too browned, cover loosely with foil for the remaining baking time).
- Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
MAKE YOUR FROSTING
- While the rolls cool, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment or hand mixer combine the cream cheese, butter, half of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- Then add remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread the icing evenly over the 12 rolls. Enjoy warm!
