Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

What are the holidays without Homemade Cinnamon Rolls? When you want to do something special, look no further than gooey brown sugar and cinnamon swirled bliss smothered in a cream cheese frosting.

Perfect Holiday Breakfast or Cozy Hygge Treat

Cinnamon rolls are seriously a top ten food fav in this house. In fact, my children all beg me to make them for their birthday breakfast. They are time-consuming, and if given a choice between a birthday cake and cinnamon rolls to keep my sanity, they usually go for the birthday cake. Not because these are not totally worth it, but because who ever heard of a birthday without a cake and candles to blow out, right?

To compromise, I make these for special occasions like Thanksgiving, Easter, or Father’s Day or when I want to bake a special Hygge treat and cozy up with my favorite people.

Preparing the Dough in the Bread Machine

My preferred way to prepare the cinnamon roll dough is in a bread machine. My husband purchased me the Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Bread Machine from King Arthur Baking for Christmas one year, and we have been inseparable ever since. My husband and I, that is. Seriously, my husband will do whatever it takes to get me the best kitchen tools because he likes what comes out on the other end. I use this bread machine for cinnamon rolls, homemade pizza dough, or any time I want to make dough. Truthfully, I rarely make bread in it because I love to bake bread, like my No Knead Lemon, Garlic, & Rosemary Bread in my Dutch oven.

By Hand or with a KitchenAid Mixer

Although using a bread machine is my preferred way of preparing dough, many people do not have one, and that is no problem at all. Fortunately, preparing the dough can be done by hand or with the help of a KitchenAid mixer.

The only difference in using a KitchenAid mixer and your hands is that the KitchenAid kneads the dough for you. Many people prefer to knead dough by hand because it is a tactile experience, or it helps relieve stress. There is something comforting in kneading bread dough and connecting to it. Unfortunately, I usually make cinnamon rolls during the holidays or special occasions, so my time is limited. I appreciate the help of either my bread machine or KitchenAid. All hands on deck, even if it is the hands of an appliance.

Process of Preparing Dough by Hand

For the KitchenAid, mix with the dough hook until the dough is combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes to activate the gluten. Then knead with the dough hook for 5-8 minutes until a smooth dough ball is formed. Oil a large glass bowl, and place the dough ball in it, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1.5 hours).

If preparing the dough by hand, mix the ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes to activate the gluten. After 10 minutes, generously flour a clean surface, then knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until a smooth ball forms. Oil a large glass bowl, and place the dough ball in it, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1.5 hours).

Rolling Out and Filling the Cinnamon Rolls

Once the dough has perfectly risen into a beautiful doughy pillow of heaven, roll it out into a large rectangle. The longer you can stretch it lengthwise, the better. Make sure to keep it as rectangular as possible so the cinnamon rolls can all be uniform in size.

Using room temperature butter, use your hands (using your hands in cooking stimulates endorphins like dopamine and oxytocin so that you can be happy) to spread the butter all over the dough. Leave an inch border around the edge to allow sealing. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture and begin to roll lengthwise. Keep it tight.

Rise in a Warm Place

Once I have the roll, I cut off the ends and give it to the hovering buzzards, I mean children, to play with. With a knife, I mark out and evenly space where I will slice twenty-four cinnamon rolls. Slice them with a serrated knife or cut with floss and place three across and four down in a buttered casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place until doubled. Alternatively, if you prepare them the night before, you could put them in the refrigerator and pull them out early to rise the following morning.

*Just a friendly reminder, but make sure and set the butter and cream cheese out so that they are at room temperature when you make the frosting.

The Secret Step That Makes These BETTER Than Cinnabon…Warm Cream

So, Iv’e been baking cinnamon rolls for years, but our cinnamon roll world turned upside down when I discovered this cool trick…warm cream right before baking. The key to getting perfectly baked, no raw centers, and no crispy edges on your cinnamon rolls is to drizzle them with warm cream just before they go in the oven. The cream creates a sort of steam bath that evenly distributes the heat allowing for baking perfection. Don’t pass up this step. You can thank me later. These cinnamon rolls are seriously better than Cinnabon’s.

Baking & Frosting the Cinnamon Rolls

Preheat the oven to 400° and place the rack in the center of the oven. Bake the cinnamon rolls uncovered for 15-17 minutes. Check that they are slightly golden and that the cinnamon rolls in the center of the pan are fully baked.

Cream the butter and cream cheese in a Kitchenaid mixer or hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, and then add the vanilla and salt. Spread over hot cinnamon rolls right out of the oven if you want them melted, or wait until the cinnamon rolls are cooled to frost if you like the frosting on top. I like it gooey and melted right out of the oven. Feel free to add orange zest to the frosting for an additional flavor. I like to do this in the fall. EnJOY and happy celebrating!

Yield: 24 cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

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Ingredients

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup milk (110°F)
• 2 eggs
• 4 1/2 cup white bread flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast (I use saf instant)
• 1 cup warmed heavy cream (enough to drizzle over each unbaked cinnamon roll)
• FILLING:
• 1/3 cup spreadable Kerrygold butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 T cinnamon
• FROSTING:
• 4 oz ( 1/2 brick) room temperature cream cheese
• 1/2 stick room temperature butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preparing the Dough: (Either by hand, KitchenAid mixer, or Bread Machine)
2. Melt the butter in a small pot, then turn off the heat. Add milk. This will get the milk to the right temperature (110°F). Add this to a large glass bowl, KitchenAid mixer, or your bread machine, if using.
3. Add eggs, flour, salt, sugar, and yeast (in that order).
4. For the bread machine, set on the basic dough setting. The dough should run through its process and double in size. I leave mine in the machine until it touches the top like a giant poofy pillow.
5. For the KitchenAid, mix with the dough hook until the dough is combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes to activate the gluten. Then knead with the dough hook for 5-8 minutes until a smooth dough ball is formed. Oil a large glass bowl, and place the dough ball in it, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1.5 hours).
6. If preparing the dough by hand, mix the ingredients (in the order mentioned above) in a large bowl until combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes to activate the gluten. After 10 minutes, generously flour a clean surface, then knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until a smooth ball forms. Oil a large glass bowl, and place the dough ball in it, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1.5 hours).
7. When the dough has doubled in size, remove it and roll it out into a long rectangle.
8. Spread butter over the entire surface, leaving a 1" border around the edge.
9. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over the butter.
10. Tightly roll the cinnamon roll into a long log. (See picture)
11. Butter or spray two large casserole pans, then set them aside.
12. Cut cinnamon rolls about every 2" and lay them in the prepared casserole dish, three in each row. There should be twelve in each dish. They will appear small, but they will double in size after they rise, so don't be tempted to squeeze them all in.
13. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm location until doubled in size.
14. Note: If you are making these the night before, place them in the refrigerator at this point, then set them out a few hours the next morning to rise.
15. When doubled in size (approximately), warm heavy cream and pour over each cinnamon roll.
16. Bake uncovered in a 400°F oven for 15-17 minutes.
17. Cream the butter and cream cheese in a Kitchenaid mixer or hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, and then add the vanilla and salt.
18. Spread over hot cinnamon rolls right out of the oven if you want them melted, or wait until the cinnamon rolls are cooled to frost if you like the frosting on top. I like it gooey and melted right out of the oven.
19. Feel free to add orange zest to the frosting for an additional flavor. I like to do this in the fall.

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In everything you do -eat, play, and, love- may it always be Seasoned with Joy!