Cinnamon Rolls
with maple cream cheese frosting
The cinnamon rolls I grew up with came in two forms: the irresistible pull of Cinnabon, luring us in with its sweet scent during mall trips with my mom, and the less-than-magical rolls that came from popping open a blue tin on Saturday mornings. For the longest time, I didn’t even realize you could make homemade cinnamon rolls.
Here in Minneapolis, we’re lucky to have Isles Bun & Coffee, which makes what many would call some of the best cinnamon rolls around. But I have to tell you: I like these even more. I can make them myself whenever the craving hits, they’re a whole lot cheaper, and most importantly, they’re incredibly soft, tender, and gooey.
One of the secrets is tangzhong.
Tangzhong is a simple bread-making technique where you cook a small portion of the flour and liquid together before adding it to the dough. As it heats, the starches in the flour absorb more of the liquid and create a thick, paste-like mixture. It might seem like one extra step, but it only takes a few minutes. And it makes a big difference.
That little bit of cooked flour helps the dough hold onto more moisture, giving you cinnamon rolls that are exceptionally soft and fluffy — and stay that way longer instead of drying out quickly. If you’ve never made a tangzhong before, don’t let the name intimidate you. Cook it until it thickens, let it cool a few minutes, add it to your dough, and you’re on your way to some seriously good cinnamon rolls.
Give it a try. I have faith in you.
Cinnamon Rolls
Dough
1 cup warm whole milk (95–105°F)
2¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2½ cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour (plus ¼–½ cup more if needed)
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 room-temperature eggs, beaten
4 Tbsp melted butter
Tangzhong
Optional, but highly recommended!
¼ cup milk
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp flour
Whisk together over medium heat until it becomes a thick paste. Let cool before using.
Filling
1 stick (½ cup) softened butter
1–1¼ cups brown sugar
4–5 tsp cinnamon
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
5 Tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp maple extract
½ tsp salt
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
For Baking
½ cup warm heavy cream
Instructions
Prepare the tangzhong. Whisk the milk, water, and flour together in a small saucepan over medium heat until it becomes a thick paste. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Activate the yeast. Combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until bubbly and foamy. Make sure your milk is warm, not hot— about 95–105°F.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt.
Make the dough. Add the beaten eggs, melted butter, yeast mixture, and cooled tangzhong. Knead with the dough hook for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add a little extra flour, a tablespoon or two at a time, if the dough is overly sticky. The dough should still be soft and slightly tacky.
Kneading by hand? Knead for closer to 12–15 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Quick tip: If you forgot to bring your eggs to room temperature, place the uncracked eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5–10 minutes before using.
First rise. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Roll and fill. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into an approximately 18 × 14-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Spread evenly with the softened butter, then sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Shape the rolls. Starting with a long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice into 9–12 rolls and place in a parchment-lined 9×9 or 9×13-inch pan.
Second rise. Cover and let rise for 45-75 minutes, until the rolls look puffy. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the cream and bake. Pour the warm heavy cream evenly over the rolls just before baking. Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the centers reach about 190°F. If the tops are browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the maple extract, salt, powdered sugar, and heavy cream and mix until creamy.
Frost and serve. Let the rolls cool for a few minutes, then spread the frosting over them while they’re still warm.
