I made cinnamon rolls!!
Guys…. I’m actually a chef. I’m the next gordon ramsey fr! Plus they’re perfect for the holidays!!
RECIPE: The Best Cinnamon Rolls You'll Ever Eat
BY: Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com
This cinnamon roll recipe includes options to make them overnight or ahead of time and even freeze them.
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Christmas, Indulge, Mother's Day
Nut Free
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls, fluffy cinnamon rolls, perfect cinnamon rolls
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 9 large cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH:
• ¾ cup (180g) warm milk (whole milk or 2% preferred) (110 degrees F)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise or active yeast (1/4-ounce package yeast)*
• 14 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (57g) butter, melted (I prefer salted, but unsalted works, too)
• 3 cups (360g) bread flour, plus more for dusting
• ¾ teaspoon salt
FOR THE FILLING:
• ⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar (light brown sugar also works)
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
•1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 4 oz (112g) cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Warm milk to around 110 degrees F. I like to do this by placing milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving it for 40-45 seconds. It should be like warm bath water. Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Next stir in flour and salt with a wooden spoon until a dough begins to form.
2. Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. If it's TOO sticky (meaning it's sticking to the bottom of the mixer, add in 2 tablespoons more bread flour.) If you don't want to use an electric mixer, you can use your hands to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes on a well-floured surface.
3. Transfer dough ball to a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
This may more or less time depending the humidity and temperature in your home.
4. After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 14x9 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ¼ inch margin at the far side of the dough.
5. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands to sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough, then rub the brown sugar mixture into the butter.
6. Tightly roll dough up, starting from the 9-inch side and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can. You will probably need to cut off about an inch off the ends of the dough as the ends won’t be as full of cinnamon sugar as we want them to be
7. Cut into 1 inch sections with a serrated knife or floss. You should get 9 large pieces
8. Place cinnamon rolls in a greased 9x9 inch baking pan or round 9 inch baling pan. (I also recommend lining the pant with parchment paper as well in case any of the filling ends up leaking out.) Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and towel and bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges. You want to underbake them a little so they stay soft in the middle, that's why we want them just slightly golden brown. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting. Makes 9 cinnamon rolls.
10. To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
If you use quick rise or instant yeast you do not need to "proof" it before adding in the dough ingredients. If you use active dry yeast, you'll want to dissolve it in the warm milk until little bubbles appear before adding the rest of the dough ingredients. The dough may take longer to rise with active dry yeast as well.
To make overnight cinnamon rolls:After placing rolls into the greased pan (after the first rise), simply cover, place overnight in the fridge and then bake them in the morning as directed. I like to bring my cinnamon rolls to room
THIS RECIPE DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. ITS FROM THE AMBITIOUS KITCHEN WEBSITE. YOU CAN FIND THE LINK UNDER THE RECIPE NAME. COPY AND PASTE IT!
I’m gluten intolerant but from what I heard they were really good!!
Making cinnamon rolls for the first time, especially in a bustling high school class, felt like a huge culinary adventure! I remember wondering, "what should cinnamon roll dough look like?" throughout the process. It's a common question, and getting the dough right is truly the secret to those soft, fluffy rolls we all crave. From my experience, when you're kneading the dough, it should start out a bit sticky but gradually become smooth and elastic. If you press it gently with your finger, it should spring back slowly. A good test, which we learned in class, is the 'windowpane test.' Take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it out. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing, you've achieved perfect gluten development. This means your dough has enough elasticity to hold the air bubbles that will make your cinnamon rolls incredibly light. After the first rise, your dough should have visibly doubled in size, becoming plump and airy. It should feel soft and slightly puffy to the touch. This is the stage where you transfer it to a floured surface to roll out. The unbaked cinnamon rolls, once rolled and cut, should be nestled in the pan, looking plump and ready for their second rise. They'll expand again, filling the pan, before they even hit the oven. Seeing them swell up like that is such a satisfying part of the baking instructions! Sometimes, things don't go exactly to plan. If your dough is too sticky after kneading, add a tablespoon of bread flour at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it's too dry or stiff, a tiny bit more warm milk can help. And if your dough isn't rising, don't panic! The most common culprits are old yeast or water that's too hot or cold. Yeast thrives in warmth, so ensure your milk is around 110°F and your dough is rising in a cozy spot, away from drafts. I even put mine in a slightly warm, turned-off oven during the rise to help it along. Baking these 'best cinnamon rolls' in a school setting taught me a lot about teamwork and organization. Having all your ingredients prepped and measured out (mise en place!) makes a huge difference. The recipe's notes on making them overnight are fantastic, especially if you're baking for a group. You can do all the prep the day before, pop the unbaked rolls in the fridge after their first rise, and then just bake them fresh in the morning. This saves so much time and ensures you get those warm, gooey cinnamon rolls right when you want them. Sharing these warm, frosted cinnamon rolls with friends and classmates was such a rewarding experience. Knowing the effort that went into getting that perfect dough, the right rise, and finally the beautiful golden-brown finish makes each bite even sweeter. It's truly a recipe that brings joy, whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting out like I was in that high school class!
Those look so bomb