These cinnamon rolls are big, soft, and will give you the bakery feel right at home with your freshly milled flour. This dough is enriched with milk, eggs, and butter to give you the soft, luscious cinnamon roll that will leave your family begging for more! Plus this recipe only has 1 rise!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 2″ Rolls
Ingredients
For Tangzhong
- 27 grams fresh milled hard white wheat flour 3 Tbsp.
- 60 grams whole milk 6 Tbsp.
- 44 grams water 3 Tbsp.
Dough
- 405 grams fresh milled hard white wheat flour
- 217 grams fresh milled soft white wheat flour
- 270 grams whole milk 1⅛ cup
- 14 grams instant yeast 1½ Tbsp. (I use SAF brand)
- 47 grams sugar 3¾ Tbsp.
- 2¼ Tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 72 grams butter, softened approx 6 Tbsp
- 6 grams vanilla extract
Filling
- 93 grams butter, softened
- 130 grams brown sugar
- 15 grams cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 block
- 60 grams butter, softened 4 Tbsp. (I use salted butter)
- 250 grams powdered sugar 2 cups
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt, optional (I don’t add if I use salted butter)
Method
Make Tangzhong
- Combine all ingredients for tangzhong into a small saucepan and whisk over medium heat to make sure there are no clumps.
- Stir constantly until thickened.2-3 minutes. I like to use a spatula after whisking so it doesn’t stick to the edges. It will look like a thick roux similar to thick pudding.
Make Dough
- Mix the tangzhong mixture with the milk to cool it down so it doesn’t kill the yeast. If it cools down too much, reheat to 100℉ so it’s warm to activate the yeast.
- Next mix in the yeast and sugar. Let it get foamy so you know the yeast is working. Put this mixture in to the mixer bowl.
- Add in flour and turn mixer on.
- While mixer is going add in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Then add in butter, salt, and vanilla extract. *The mixture will make you think it’s too wet and it might not come together right away. Just trust the process and it will start to come together like it should. This is a very supple dough. If it really doesn’t after a few minutes sprinkle small amounts of flour in until it does. Things like this can vary with humidity and altitude.
- Knead dough for 8-10 minutes until the mixture is smooth and passes a windowpane test. This will vary depending on what mixer you are using.
- Form the dough into a ball, put it in a greased bowl, cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
- While the dough is resting combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl for the filling.
- After the 10 minute rest, roll your dough out to 24×10 inches on an oiled counter top or table. Spread the softened butter over all of the dough, except for the top 1/2-1 inch. You’ll want that to be able to seal that portion when you’re done rolling the cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle on brown sugar mixture and evenly coat your dough.
- Tightly roll your cinnamon rolls and when you reach the end pinch the seam to seal them.
- Using a sharp knife, string, or dental floss, cut into 2 inch sections to make 12 rolls. Arrange in a parchment lined glass 9×13 pan and cover with plastic wrap. Rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes. Until golden and 190℉ in the middle. Ovens will vary so make sure to watch yours when you first make these. My oven took 27 minutes.Set aside to cool while making the frosting.
Frosting
- Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth with electric mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and salt (if using) and mix until smooth.
- Frost cinnamon rolls when they are cool. They can be slightly warm, but you don’t want your frosting to melt.
