To me, cinnamon rolls mean Christmas morning. Or a Sunday treat after a long week. Cinnamon rolls, whether popped out of a cylinder or baked from scratch, are my special occasion food.
I used to make them when I was a little girl after sleepovers at my Gramma Weezie’s house. The center roll was always my favorite, because I liked my baked goods doughy and soft. Because I was an only child, I had no competition for the roll I wanted.
Now, as an adult, I still have cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning. I wake up early, open presents, then bake the ooey-gooey rolls with my mom, who goes by Teeny (yes, the character in the books is loosely based on her).
I don’t live in the same state as my parents anymore, so I don’t see them as often as I’d like. But I’m always with them on Christmas morning, and breakfast is an important part of our holiday tradition.
I used to make them when I was a little girl after sleepovers at my Gramma Weezie’s house. The center roll was always my favorite, because I liked my baked goods doughy and soft. Because I was an only child, I had no competition for the roll I wanted.
Now, as an adult, I still have cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning. I wake up early, open presents, then bake the ooey-gooey rolls with my mom, who goes by Teeny (yes, the character in the books is loosely based on her).
I don’t live in the same state as my parents anymore, so I don’t see them as often as I’d like. But I’m always with them on Christmas morning, and breakfast is an important part of our holiday tradition.
Dough Ingredients
1. 1 cup of warm milk
2. Instant or fast rise yeast (2.5 teaspoons)
3. 2 eggs
4. 1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted)
5. 4.5 cups flour
6. 1 tsp salt
7. 1/2 cup sugar (I like turbinado but you can use any white sugar)
Cinnamon Mixture Ingredients
1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened, not melted)
2. 1 cup packed brown sugar (preferably dark brown, but any will do)
3. 2 tbsp cinnamon (I like to get ‘real’ cinnamon, aka Ceylon, but it’s harder to find and the Cassia variety is a fine substitute)
4. THE SECRET INGREDIENT! 1/2 cup heavy cream
Icing Ingredients
1. 8 ounces cream cheese (you can also make a regular glaze with no cream cheese if you prefer)
2. 6 tbsp softened butter
3. 2 cups powdered sugar
4. 1/2 tbsp vanilla
Step 1: Make the Dough
• Warm your milk. I do this in the microwave until it is lukewarm to the touch.
• Whisk two eggs in a large mixing bowl
• Use a fork or whisk to combine the yeast and warm milk with eggs in mixing bowl. Add a pinch of the sugar. Set aside, allowing the yeast to activate. (I don’t have a stand mixer, so I do this part by hand. But of course, use a stand mixer if you have one!)
• In another mixing bowl, combine flour and salt, also with a whisk or fork.
• Melt your butter.
• Mix the melted butter in with the warm milk and yeast and add the rest of the sugar. Stir.
• Add the flour and salt in slowly, whisking to combine.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a floured surface.
• Place the dough in a bowl greased with cooking spray and cover it with a moist towel for about an hour.
Step 2: While the dough rises, combine the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.
Step 3: Roll and Bake the Dough
• Once the dough has risen, roll it out with a rolling pin.
• Spread the filling evenly across the surface of the dough.
• Roll the dough lengthwise and cut into even pieces, depending on how big you want your rolls.
• Place rolls in a greased baking pan.
• Let the rolls rise for another 10-20 minutes in the pan.
• Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
• Pour room temperate cream over the rolls — this is the secret moisturizing ingredient! Don’t leave it out!
• Bake the rolls for about 15-20 minutes. Depending on the size of your rolls and the speed of your oven.
Step 4: Make the Icing
• Mix softened cream cheese, soften butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until combined.
Step 5: Frost and Eat!
• Once the rolls have cooled slightly, frost them to your liking, then eat!
1. 1 cup of warm milk
2. Instant or fast rise yeast (2.5 teaspoons)
3. 2 eggs
4. 1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted)
5. 4.5 cups flour
6. 1 tsp salt
7. 1/2 cup sugar (I like turbinado but you can use any white sugar)
Cinnamon Mixture Ingredients
1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened, not melted)
2. 1 cup packed brown sugar (preferably dark brown, but any will do)
3. 2 tbsp cinnamon (I like to get ‘real’ cinnamon, aka Ceylon, but it’s harder to find and the Cassia variety is a fine substitute)
4. THE SECRET INGREDIENT! 1/2 cup heavy cream
Icing Ingredients
1. 8 ounces cream cheese (you can also make a regular glaze with no cream cheese if you prefer)
2. 6 tbsp softened butter
3. 2 cups powdered sugar
4. 1/2 tbsp vanilla
Step 1: Make the Dough
• Warm your milk. I do this in the microwave until it is lukewarm to the touch.
• Whisk two eggs in a large mixing bowl
• Use a fork or whisk to combine the yeast and warm milk with eggs in mixing bowl. Add a pinch of the sugar. Set aside, allowing the yeast to activate. (I don’t have a stand mixer, so I do this part by hand. But of course, use a stand mixer if you have one!)
• In another mixing bowl, combine flour and salt, also with a whisk or fork.
• Melt your butter.
• Mix the melted butter in with the warm milk and yeast and add the rest of the sugar. Stir.
• Add the flour and salt in slowly, whisking to combine.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a floured surface.
• Place the dough in a bowl greased with cooking spray and cover it with a moist towel for about an hour.
Step 2: While the dough rises, combine the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.
Step 3: Roll and Bake the Dough
• Once the dough has risen, roll it out with a rolling pin.
• Spread the filling evenly across the surface of the dough.
• Roll the dough lengthwise and cut into even pieces, depending on how big you want your rolls.
• Place rolls in a greased baking pan.
• Let the rolls rise for another 10-20 minutes in the pan.
• Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
• Pour room temperate cream over the rolls — this is the secret moisturizing ingredient! Don’t leave it out!
• Bake the rolls for about 15-20 minutes. Depending on the size of your rolls and the speed of your oven.
Step 4: Make the Icing
• Mix softened cream cheese, soften butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until combined.
Step 5: Frost and Eat!
• Once the rolls have cooled slightly, frost them to your liking, then eat!