Cinnamon Rolls
I tried it all! From the tangzhong method to kneading for 10 minutes and making a brioche for cinnamon roll recipes but they always ended up dry and hard. So, I decided to try to tweak my pizza dough recipe which is already soft on the side and crispy on the outside. I switched the water to whole milk and oil to butter in my original recipe and got this beautiful dough to work with. Then I added some tricks I found from other content creators to make these rolls the softest, full of flavor, and most delicious.
Recipe: makes 12 buns
Dough:
3 cups whole milk, warm
1 1/2 tbsp dry active yeast
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling and topping:
2 sticks or 16 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream
Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
Directions:
In a bowl for a stand mixer (or a regular bowl), add the warmed whole milk and sugar, then add the dry active yeast. Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast creates a foam.
Then add the salt, melted butter, and slowly add the flour one cup at a time while the mixer is mixing. (You can also mix and knead by hand).
Add until 6 cups of flour if you notice that the dough is still wet than add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until a soft but shaped dough is formed. Knead for at least 5 minutes.
Cover the dough in the bowl with a wrap and a towel and let it rest for at least 2 hours. Note: You can also prepare the dough ahead of time and let it rest in the fridge overnight.
Stretch and roll the dough on a clean and floured surface into a thick rectangle that is about 12 inches by 18 inches.
In a separate bowl, add the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon and mix it well.
Preheat the oven to 425F when ready to start baking.
Spread 3/4 of the filling onto the dough evenly to the end of the corners.
Start rolling the dough lengthwise (from the longest side to the other side).
You will have a long log, divide into 12 pieces. The best way to do this is by using a thread or floss. Place the floss or thread under the dough then pull the ends of the thread upwards and across from each other until it cuts through the dough.
In a half sheet deep baking pan, place parchment paper and then place each cinnamon roll in the pan slightly apart from each other.
Allow it to rise again for 30 minutes then spread the rest of the filling on top of each roll.
In between the cinnamon rolls, equally drizzle the heavy cream.
Place the pan in the oven in the middle shelf for 15 minutes then move to the top shelf for 3 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
For the icing, mix the powdered sugar and heavy cream together in a bowl. You have to keep mixing and eventually you will get a thick paste.
Spread the icing on the cinnamon rolls after they slightly cooled.
These cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm but they will still taste great as they cool because they’re so fluffy.
