Nothing smells better than some freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Especially early in the morning with some freshly ground coffee beans, brewed to perfection. This past weekend I decided to make some cinnamon rolls for Saturday morning brunch but wanted to sleep in a bit. So I made them the night before, popped them in the refrigerator, and all I had to do in the morning was bake them. The entire pan was gone in a flash and the icing/glaze was used up to the last drop. Not only did it make my home smell absolutely wonderful but everyone was satisfied and full.
The dough for these cinnamon rolls resembles my other sweet bread recipes you may have read on this blog. It uses the usual ingredients like eggs, milk, and yeast. These and a few other ingredients make for the softest, fluffiest cinnamon rolls that are full of sweet cinnamon flavor and that rise to generous portions. This time I used a round baking pan to bake them all at once so you’ll notice some didn’t quite rise all the way. But for a rustic look this is fine. If you’re making this for a party or special meal I recommend you space them out slightly so they have room to rise. It didn’t affect the flavor though, I can attest to that.
You’ll notice I use margarine in my filling which is not the norm for cinnamon rolls. I find that margarine helps the rolls rise and keep their shape slightly better than butter. But when I don’t have margarine on hand or when I don’t want to use it, butter works perfectly well. I also had to Balkanize it a little, I mean is it even a surprise? I had to sneak some vanilla sugar in there after all 🙂
I hope you give this delicious recipe a try very soon. The sweet cinnamon flavor paired with the cream cheese icing is out of this world amazing.
Cimet Rolnice/Cinnamon Rolls
Course: DessertCuisine: American, Balkan6
servings1
hour35
minutesSoft, fluffy, and stick to your ribs good. A sweet classic perfect any time of year but especially during the colder months.
Ingredients
- Dough
1 cup (200 ml) warm milk
1/2 cup (100 ml) warm water
1 tablespoon (10 g) active dry yeast
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon (2 g) salt
4-5 cups (480-600 g) all-purpose flour
- Filling
1 stick (113 g) margarine (or butter), room temperature
1 1/4 cup (255 g) brown sugar (braon secer/smedji secer)
1.5 tablespoons (12 g) ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 kesica)
- Icing/Glaze
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, room temperature
1/2 block (100 g) cream cheese
1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
4 tablespoons (60 ml) milk
Directions
- In a small bowl, pour in the water, milk, active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir to combine and place in a warm place to proof.
- While the yeast is proofing, in the bowl of a stand mixer combine the eggs, remaining sugar, and melted butter. Whisk together then when the yeast is ready, pour it into the bowl. Whisk briefly, then remove the whisk attachment and replace it with a dough hook.
- Pour half of the flour into the wet ingredients along with the salt. Turn on the mixer to medium speed and begin to incorporate the flour. Once the dough starts coming together add flour a little at a time until you achieve a slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the bowl and forms a ball around the dough hook. It should not be dry and tough so add the flour a little at a time.
- Once the dough has come together and is smooth, slightly sticky, and compact, pick it up with one hand, oil the bowl lightly, and place the dough back in the bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise until double in size.
- Once the dough has doubled, remove it from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough in a large rectangle. The dough should be rolled thin.
- Preheat oven to 350F/175. Grease a baking pan with butter and set it aside.
- Filling
- Spread the softened margarine (or butter) all over the dough in an even layer. In a bowl combine the sugars and cinnamon. Break up any large pieces of sugar with your fingers then sprinkle all over the dough in an even layer.
- Next, very lightly run your rolling pin over the sugar and cinnamon filling to ensure everything is sticking to the dough.
- Roll the dough away from you into a cigar/log shape. Gently roll the dough so it does not rip.
- Using a knife or a piece of string, slice the log/cigar-shaped dough into thick slices and place them in the prepared baking pan, leaving a little bit of space between each roll since they will rise again. Continue cutting the remaining dough. Use multiple pans if needed.
- If baking right away, allow the rolls to rise for 20-25 minutes before baking. If baking the next day, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Note: Remove the rolls from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before baking. This will allow the dough to come to room temperature before baking ensuring an even rise in the oven. - Bake at 350F/175C for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Glaze
- Whip the butter with a stand or hand mixer until soft and fluffy then add in the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Once the mixture has become thick, add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze becomes runnier but still thick. Whip until there are no lumps and then spread all over the rolls.
