By Maya Bourne
Every Christmas, my family and I bake cookies to share with our neighbors, and leave them on each doorstep down the street. My dad’s job on Christmas morning is to bake the cinnamon rolls. Delicious aromas waft through the entire house as dough rises, cinnamon and sugar melt into a thick syrup, and icing spreads on it all in a thin layer. This recipe, used by my family for years, is sure to create a positively delectable treat for this holiday season.
Time: about 4 hours
Yield: About 24 rolls
Rating: 10/10
Ingredients:
- 6 ½ Cups bread flour- separated
Pro-Tip: you can also substitute regular all-purpose flour if needed
- 3 tsp yeast
Pro-tip: use active-dry yeast for the best results, but you can substitute for different yeast, just tweak the rise times a little
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 ¼ cups honey
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk
Pro-Tip: save your extra egg white for later projects- scrambled eggs, merengue etc.
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Topping:
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp cinnamon
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter
- 2 tbsp whipped cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
- Combine 4 cups bread flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Heat milk, ½ cup of butter, and honey in a pot on the stove to melt the butter
Pro-Tip: while you get out your butter to heat, take out the additional butter for the topping and frosting, and let them soften while you bake
- Add eggs and egg yolk to the butter mixture, then add vanilla and add to the flour mixture
- Mix with bread hook, adding in the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough is no longer sticky
Pro-Tip: wait until the flour is fully incorporated before adding more to avoid a dry dough
- Rise until doubled in size
Pro-Tip: this process usually takes about an hour or two, but rising times may vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen
- Put the dough in the fridge for 15-30 minutes, then take it out and form a rectangle
Pro-Tip: roll the dough out on a floured surface, aluminum foil or plastic wrap to avoid getting your work surface dirty
- Mix 4 tbsp butter, ¾ cups sugar, and cinnamon to create the topping, and spread on top of the rectangle
Pro-Tip: Keep the topping as flat and even as possible, or add lumps of sugary, cinnamon-y goodness for some extra pizazz
- Rise again until doubled in size, or about an hour
Pro-Tip: preheat your oven to 330F during this time
- Bake at 330F for 22 minutes
Pro-Tip: bake your rolls on the top rack for a lovely crunchy top and chewy center
- While the rolls are baking, start on your frosting. Combine the rest of your butter with cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar
Pro-Tip: I prefer to mix this in a stand mixer to create a smooth texture, but mixing by hand works as well
- After removing the rolls from the oven, wait 1-2 minutes, then drizzle on some frosting while the rolls are still hot
- Wait until the rolls cool down, then add the rest of your topping
Pro-Tip: this is where you can get personal: add more or less frosting depending on your preference. I prefer less frosting, but other people in my family love it. Ask around for ideas!
- Enjoy!