Of all the yummy dessert and breakfast treats, a cinnamon bun is among one of the most decadent. There is nothing better than waking up on a weekend morning to the smell of them baking in your oven.
Cinnamon rolls consist of a sheet of dough covered in a cinnamon and sugar mixture. The dough is then rolled and baked or deep-fried. Deep-fried is less common for the home cook but as a fun treat could be easily made with a few precautions.
The cinnamon roll is said to have originated in Sweden. There it is typically called the Kanelbulle (which literally translates into cinnamon bun). The treat is so well-liked in that country that October 4 has been designated as ‘Kanellbullens Dag’ or Cinnamon Roll Day.
Here we provide two cinnamon roll recipes, one made without yeast and one made with yeast. Both homemade cinnamon roll recipes yield rolls that are like a small piece of heaven. Filled with cinnamon and brown sugar and frosted with cream cheese icing, they are absolutely decadent.
We tested 12 different cinnamon rolls recipes, then took the best elements from all of them to come up with the perfect cinnamon rolls…with and without yeast. While it might have been a struggle and challenge to taste all those cinnamon rolls, it is just the level of care we put into every recipe.
Personal preference and how much time you have are the deciding factors when choosing between the two recipes for cinnamon rolls. Some bakers swear by yeast rolls, while others swear by skipping the yeast when it comes to sweet rolls.
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The folks at King Arthur Flour say this:
Yeast, with the long, slow rise it demands, adds inimitable flavor to bread of all kinds. But sometimes it’s just not necessary.
Sweet rolls are potentially one of those times.
Whichever recipe you choose, you won’t be disappointed (we loved them both)!
Tip: For easier slicing of the dough, use unflavored dental floss. Slide it under the rolled dough then cross over the top of the roll to cut through. Butcher's twine will also work in a pinch.
Cinnamon rolls are great for breakfast or for any time you feel like treating yourself. Make a batch for your family to see how they make your day even more special! Just be careful for they might be asking you to make them all the time.
Cinnamon Rolls (recipe without yeast)
Ingredients:
Rolls:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the counter
- 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cinnamon Filling:
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- **To make the frosting, mix all ingredients until smooth.
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously coat a 9-inch round cake pan and a wire cooling rack with vegetable oil spray.
2. Make the filling: combine together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and 1 Tablespoon melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
3. Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour; 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons of the melted butter together.
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5. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until absorbed, about 30 seconds. The dough will look shaggy.
6. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Press the dough out into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle using your hands.
8. Brush the dough with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Press the filling firmly into the dough.
9. Loosen the dough from the counter using a bench scraper or a metal spatula.
10. Starting at a long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log.
11. Pinch the seam to seal. Slice the dough into 8 even pieces.
12. Place the slices in the greased pan.
13. Brush with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
14. Use a knife to loosen the buns from the pan. Flip the buns out onto the prepared wire rack, then turn buns upright and let cool for 10 minutes before frosting with cream cheese icing. Prepare the icing while rolls are cooling.
Cinnamon Rolls (recipe with yeast)
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed (110 degrees)
- 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoon) instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened to room temperature
Filling Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups confectioner's or powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- **To make the frosting, mix all ingredients until smooth.
Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, turn off.
2. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Grease foil and a medium bowl.
3. Whisk milk and yeast in measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs.
4. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until combined.
5. With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute.
6. Increase speed to medium, and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.
7. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form a smooth, round ball.
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
- Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
- Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
8. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
9. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl.
10. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough into 18-inch square, spread with butter, and sprinkle evenly with the filling.
11. Starting with the edge nearest you, roll dough into tight cylinder, pinch to seal seam, and cut into 8 even rolls.
12. Transfer rolls, cut-side up, to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size.
13. After rolls are done rising, heat oven to 350 degrees F.
14. Discard plastic wrap and bake rolls until deep golden brown and filling is melted, 35 to 40 minutes.
15. While rolls are baking, make the frosting.
16. When cinnamon rolls are done baking, transfer pan to a wire rack and cool 30 minutes.
17. Using the excess foil overhang, lift rolls from pan and frost with cream cheese frosting before serving.
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