Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe by weight
Yields: ~9-10 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
175g Warm Whole Milk (~110°)
2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
55g Granulated White Sugar (one teaspoon to bloom)
25g Dark Brown Sugar
90g Brown Butter (~1 stick)
1 Large Egg (Room Temp)
2 Large Egg Yolks (Room Temp)
2 Tbsp Bourbon Vanilla extract
1 tsp Coarse salt
480g Bread Flour (plus more as needed)
½ tsp Baking Powder
Filling:
200g Dark Brown Sugar
20g Ground Cinnamon
55g (4 Tbsp) Softened Brown Butter
¼ tsp Coarse Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting:
225g Cream Cheese, softened
115g Brown Butter, softened
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Bourbon Vanilla Extract
175g Powdered Sugar
1-2 tsp Heavy Whipping Cream (optional: for desired consistency)
Equipment
Kitchen Scale
Instant Read Thermometer
KitchenAid Mixer (Dough Hook & Mixer Attachment)
Large Glass Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl
Small Mixing Bowl
Rolling Pin
Pastry Brush (Optional)
Microwave or Stovetop
Parchment Paper
Medium Baking Dish/Large Cast Iron Skillet
Directions
Prep: Take out cream cheese, butter, and eggs from the fridge to allow them to come to room temperature. Measure out all your ingredients before you start! You’re welcome.
Bloom the yeast: In a microwave (or on a stovetop), heat milk in a heatproof bowl to about 110oF. Stir in the yeast and about one teaspoon of white sugar, and set aside for about 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes you don’t see any foam then your yeast is dead and you’ll need to get more and start over.
Wet ingredients: In your KitchenAid mixing bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, remaining white sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. After the yeast mixture has bloomed, add to bowl and mix.
Dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, measure and combine your bread flour and baking powder.
Knead the dough: With the dough hook attachment and the mixer set to low/stir, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gradually increase to medium speed and knead for about 10 minutes. You are looking for a smooth, tacky, not sticky dough. If your dough is too wet/sticky, add bread flour 1 Tbsp at a time. You may need to use a silicone spatula to scrape up the bottom of the bowl to help the mixer thoroughly incorporate dry flour into the dough.
Using your hands, work the dough into a smooth ball and place it in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm area and allow to rise for about 1.5 - 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Mix filling: While the dough is rising, in your medium mixing bowl combine brown sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside until ready to use.
Roll out the dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer to a floured surface and roll out into a 20”x12” rectangle. Preheat your oven to 350oF
With a pastry brush (or the back of a tablespoon), brush the softened butter evenly onto the dough before evenly coating the dough in a layer of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, edge to edge. It may seem like a lot of filling, but it will give a really good ratio of dough to fill once baked.
Starting on the short end, begin to tightly roll the dough into a log. You can dab your finger in water and brush the final edge of the dough to help seal the log.
Trim the ends of the log, and evenly cut the log into 1.5-inch portions. This recipe should yield roughly 9-10 rolls.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper and place cinnamon rolls into the dish. Make sure your baking dish is big enough that the rolls are not crammed together, they will double in size in the final proof, and get even bigger when baked. Cover again with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow to proof for 30-45 minutes. If you’re not eating the cinnamon rolls right away, this is the stage where you can cover and keep in the fridge or freezer.
Make frosting: While the rolls are proofing, mix together softened cream cheese, softened butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until smooth.
Once the rolls have almost doubled in size, place uncovered in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until rolls have a deep golden brown color.
After taking the rolls out allow them to cool slightly for 5 minutes before covering with the frosting and enjoy immediately.