Cinnamon rolls have always been one of my favorite pastries. I’ve never really been much of a pancake or waffle person but put a gooey cinnamon roll in front of me alongside a fresh cup of coffee and I’m sold.
Growing up, the best way to wake up was to the smell of Pillsbury pop open cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. I still love the Pillsbury rolls to this day and honestly I find them quite hard to beat. I’ve tried gourmet cinnamon rolls from restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops and have been utterly disappointed that they’re either too dry, don’t have enough filling or just don’t have the right soft gooey dough that the Pillsbury rolls have.
Having said this, I decided to try to make some from scratch that stood up to the pillsbury rolls, or dare I say, even beat them! I’ve never (successfully) made any sort of risen dough so this was a whole new playing field for me. I do have to admit, I was inspired to bake these pastries from scratch after watching my favorite food-related show, The Great British Bake Off.
After scouring the internet for a good recipe I came across a few I like and took bits and pieces from each to create a recipe that worked for me. To my surprise it worked out wonderfully! The cinnamon rolls turned out absolutely scrumptious! I would go as far to say that they even beat out the Pillsbury rolls let alone any other cinnamon roll I’ve tasted. I’ve shared the recipe below along with some of my tips for getting the rolls to turn out just as delicious as mine.
Classic Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Makes about 12-14 rolls
INGREDIENTS:
DOUGH INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (separate out 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 envelope active dry yeast (as directed as package, add to 1/4 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar added and let dissolve)
- 1 egg
CINNAMON-SUGAR FILLING INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter softened
ICING INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (use clear vanilla extract if you want icing to be white)
- 4 tsp milk
DIRECTIONS:
(directions altered from www.gimmesomeoven.com)
Preheat oven to 200°F (this is for the dough to proof/rise, you will later raise the temperature to 350°F to bake the rolls)
Melt the 1/4 cup butter required for dough and combine with the 1/2 & 1/2 in small bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour (making sure not to mix in the extra 1/2 cup you’ve separated out), sugar and salt until combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, add yeast mixture, flour mixture and egg. Beat on medium-low speed until combined. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (up to 3.5 cups of flour total). Continue beating for 5 minutes on medium-low speed. Remove dough and form it into a ball with your hands. Then place it in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your filling by whisking together sugars and cinnamon in a bowl until combined.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Then use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 14 x 9 inches in size. (If you want all edges to be even, you can use a pizza slicer to cut the dough into a perfect rectangle.) Spread the softened 1/4 cup of butter out evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Beginning at the 14-inch edge, tightly roll up the dough. And then give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals. Cut off ends of roll. Then cut the remaining dough into 2-3 in thick pieces depending how tall you want the rolls to be.
Place each of the cut cinnamon rolls into a greased pie plate or 9 x 13-inch baking dish (swirl side up). Then cover with foil and place on the middle rack in the oven that has preheated to 200°F. Place a cookie sheet or baking tin filled with hot water on the bottom rack of oven (the low heat of oven and steam are what will help the dough to prove/rise). As you place rolls in oven turn oven off. Let rolls prove for 25 minutes until risen.
While the dough is rising, make the icing (instructions below).
When the rolls have risen, remove from oven and remove foil from top. Turn oven to 350°F. (It is crucial to wait for the oven to reach 350°F before placing the rolls back into the oven to bake). Then place on the center rack of the oven and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes. Drizzle with icing and serve.
ICING DIRECTIONS:
Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until desired consistency is reached.
