Discover the art of crafting delectable cinnamon rolls from scratch, elevating your home baking to a gourmet experience. Our recipe promises a delightful blend of soft, pillowy dough, rich cinnamon-sugar filling, and a heavenly cream cheese frosting that will transport your taste buds to culinary paradise.
Begin your culinary journey by activating the yeast in a warm embrace of milk, creating the foundation for a luscious dough. As you knead the mixture into a silky-smooth consistency, the unsalted butter, sugar, and eggs join forces to create a harmonious canvas for the symphony of flavors that awaits.
First Rise: Allow the dough to rise gracefully, doubling in size and developing its complex flavors. This step is where the magic happens, as the yeast works its wonders, ensuring each bite of your cinnamon roll is a perfect balance of sweetness and lightness.
Roll and Fill Elegance: Roll out the dough into a picturesque rectangle, unveiling a canvas for the masterpiece you’re about to create. The softened butter, generously spread, sets the stage for a brown sugar and cinnamon symphony, creating layers of tantalizing sweetness that will captivate your senses with every bite.
Second Rise Sophistication: As the rolls are artfully arranged in a greased baking dish, a second rise ensues, allowing the flavors to meld and the dough to reach its ultimate potential. The anticipation builds as the rolls puff up, promising a golden-brown perfection that awaits in the oven.
Baking Brilliance: As the rolls bake, the kitchen fills with the irresistible aroma of cinnamon and baked goodness. The artistry of baking unfolds, and in 20-25 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with a tray of golden-brown perfection, ready to grace your table with its culinary allure.
Creamy Frosting Finale: While the cinnamon rolls cool, turn your attention to the final act – the cream cheese frosting. A symphony of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla is composed to perfection, creating a velvety, indulgent topping that crowns each roll with an irresistible sweetness.
Allow your creation to cool briefly before generously spreading the cream cheese frosting, adding the finishing touch to your gourmet masterpiece. The rolls are now ready to be savored, shared, and celebrated – a testament to your culinary prowess.
Dough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F or 43°C)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the activated yeast mixture, sugar, melted butter, salt, and eggs. Add the flour gradually, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Roll and Fill: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly.
- Roll and Cut: Roll the dough tightly from the long side. Cut the rolled dough into 12-15 slices. Place the slices in a greased baking dish.
- Second Rise: Cover the baking dish with a cloth and let the rolls rise for another 30-45 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Make the Frosting: While the rolls are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Frost: Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes before spreading the cream cheese frosting on top.
- Serve: Enjoy your delicious homemade cinnamon rolls!
