The softest, most delicious, fluffy cinnamon rolls that I have EVER made. They are so satisfying and tasty. The cream cheese frosting provides a perfect balance of acid and sweetness. They’re sure to become a family breakfast staple.
I was never one to truly love cinnamon rolls. Sure, they’re good, but there isn’t any chocolate in them, so really, what’s the point? Well. These fluffy cinnamon rolls changed everything for me. I still love chocolate, don’t get me wrong, BUT I will happily accept these any morning, and sometimes even over a chocolate chip muffin. What I love so much about them is their soft, delicate crumb structure, and the gooey cinnamon sugar filling within.
How do I treat my yeast right?
What you do need to worry about are two important things: temperature and age. If the yeast is old, your bread will struggle to rise, and if your temperature is wrong, your bread might not rise at all. The ideal temperature for yeast activity is between 90-95°F (32-35°C). If your dough is cold, the yeast’s reaction activity is hindered, and it’ll take forever for your dough to rise. To help yeast stay active, let your dough rise in a warm spot. On the other hand, you do not want to have a temperature over 115°F as this will kill your yeast. Dead yeast results in having a dough that does not rise at all. That is why it is important to make sure that the water you are adding to your dough is warm, not hot. . Fresh yeast is best to bake with, but you can use sealed yeast up to 2 years after you purchase it. Open packets of yeast are good to use up to four months before it goes bad. As long as you are keeping track of your yeast’s age and the water temperature that you are adding to your dough, you should be golden.
Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup Milk (preferably whole)
- 2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
- 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Egg
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
For the Frosting
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Using either the microwave or a pot on the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat once melted and allow to cool for a couple minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, yeast, sugar, melted butter and egg together. Whisk to combine.
- With the dough hook affixed, add in the flour in 1/2 cup additions until all of the flour is added. Let the dough hook knead the dough for 3-5 more minutes until you have a smooth cohesive dough.
- Set the kneaded dough aside in a lightly oiled bowl, covered, and allow it to rise in a warm space until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- Once risen, remove the dough from the bowl and roll it into a 15×9 inch rectangle, making sure to press the excess air out of the dough as you roll it. Add the filling.
For the Filling:
- In a small bowl, add the sugars and cinnamon together. Stir together with a fork until totally mixed together.
- Using a spoon or a small spatula, spread the softened butter over the entire rectangle of rolled out dough, covering edge to edge.
- Sprinkle the entire cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the butter, making sure you cover the dough edge to edge.
- Roll the dough up along the long edge and cut into 12-15 rolls.
- In divide the rolls up amongst two 8-inch cake pans, placing 6-8 rolls in each, spaced out. Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot until double, about 30 minutes.
- Once risen, bake the rolls for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
For the Frosting:
- While the buns are cooling slightly, make the frosting. In a medium-sized bowl, add the butter and cream cheese, making sure both are about room temperature, and beat together until homogenous and creamy.
- Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until no powder remains.
- Top the still warm cinnamon rolls with the frosting. Enjoy!
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