CK's Kitchen: The Best Cinnamon Rolls You'll Ever Eat

In advance of our annual lake house vacation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, my daughter and I were began scheming on how we could incorporate one of our family's favorite indulgences during big breakfasts of champions and test a new recipe at the same time. We settled on this one from Ambitious Kitchen for "The Best Cinnamon Rolls You'll Ever Eat" and see if they lived up this kind of hype, receiving a 4.9 (out of 5) rating from more than 2,5000 people. My daughter, Emma, was pretty sure she had the best sourdough cinnamon roll recipe from Amy Bakes Bread but those fluffy beauties require detailed steps, creating the dough over a three-day period. That level of effort made this recipe sound leisurely in comparison, and entirely more on par with the relaxed vibe we were hoping to achieve that week. Proud mom moment Perhaps we were naïve because with eight people in a house, including a busy 2-year-old, things were definitely more laid back than a typical work week but cooking and baking was still a bit stressfull at times. The good part: This cinnamon roll recipe doesn't require a ton of ingredients, but as the recipe writer so aptly described "it does require love, patience and dedication to the true recipe" so we followed it to a tee. We used quick-rise yeast, whole milk (and used the leftovers for coffee creamer), unsalted butter, high-quality bread flour, and dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor. Emma and I collabed on creating this sweet dough and made it fun. I'm super proud of the baker she has become this year and the all the confidence she has built through experimenting with sourdough. No leftovers Making nine cinnamon rolls was the perfect amount, one for each person and one to share with the caretakers of the property — and then gone. Limited indulgence is key! The temps were a bit cool, so our dough took a bit longer to rise during both sessions, but we remained patient. Since Emma packed a dough cutter for her other sourdough creations, we used that instead of unflavored floss to cut our rolls. We started the process early on our mimosa brunch morning — the last full day at the lake. By noon, the rolls were out of the oven, gooey and warm and just the fuel we needed for a sun-filled afternoon at the beach with an adventurous little one! The result: OMG, they lived up to the hype and then some. Emma conceded that they were the best non-sourdough cinnamon rolls, and did admit they were easier too. Make these incredibly delicious cinnamon rolls as soon as possible, they are totally worth the work! Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. The Best Cinnamon Rolls You'll Ever Eat Serves 9 Dough ¾ cup (180 grams) milk (whole milk or 2 percent preferred) 2 ¼ teaspoons (one ¼-ounce package) quick-rise (instant) or active dry yeast* ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar 4 tablespoons (57 grams) salted butter, melted and cooled 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 3 cups (360 grams) bread flour, plus more as needed ¾ teaspoon kosher salt Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the bowl Filling 4 tablespoons (57 grams) salted butter, softened ⅔ cup (142 grams) packed dark brown sugar 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon Cream cheese frosting 4 oz (112 grams) cream cheese, softened ¾ cup (85 grams) powdered sugar 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Prepare the dough In a small microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk by microwaving it for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it registers 115°F on a thermometer and feels like warm bath water. Place the warmed milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and sprinkle the yeast on top. (If using active dry yeast, add the sugar now and let the yeast sit with the sugar until foamy, about 5 minutes.) If you haven't already, add the sugar, then the melted butter, egg, and egg yolk. Mix on medium speed until well combined, 30 seconds. (Alternatively, mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.) Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour and salt until a dough begins to form (this will prevent flour from flying everywhere!).Knead the dough: Place the dough hook on the stand mixer and return the bowl to the mixer. Mix the dough on medium speed until it comes together and feels soft and slightly sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. If it's too sticky — meaning it's sticking to the bottom of the mixer — add another 1 to 3 tablespoons bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. (Alternatively, you can use your hands to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes on a well-floured surface.) Meanwhile, place a clean dish towel in your dryer to warm. Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough ball to the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and the warm towel. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours. (This may be more or less time depending on the time of year, the humidity, and the temperature in your home.) You will know the dough has risen enough when you poke your finger into the dough about an inch without the indentation bouncing back immediately.Generously dust a surface with flour. Turn out the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into an 10- by 14-inch rectangle. Prepare the filling Spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch margin at the far short side of the rectangle. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands to sprinkle the mixture over the butter, then gently rub the brown sugar mixture into the butter.Starting from the short side without the margin, very tightly roll up the dough. Seal the far edge of the dough as best you can by pinching the dough together just slightly, then make sure the dough log is seam-side down. Cut a ½ inch off the ends of the dough, as the ends won't have enough filling; feel free to discard (or bake separately as yummy extras). Use your hands to give the dough log a gentle push inwards on both ends so that it compacts slightly, as it may have stretched out a bit during the rolling process.Using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife, cut the dough into nine 1-inch slices.Line a round or square 9-inch pan with parchment paper. Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise again until the rolls have puffed up, are doubled in size, and touching each other in the pan, 45 minutes to 1 hour.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls Once the rolls have risen, remove the plastic wrap and towel and bake until golden brown on the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Not overbaking the rolls ensures that they will stay soft in the middle. Cool for 10 minutes. Prepare the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. (Alternatively, whisk the frosting by hand.) Spread the frosting over the warm rolls and serve. To store Cover the whole pan with plastic wrap and foil or place individual cinnamon rolls in airtight containers or silicone bags and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat the cinnamon rolls individually in the microwave in 15 second intervals until warm.Recipe Notes *If you use quick rise or instant yeast you do not need to "proof" it before adding in the dough ingredients. If you use active dry yeast, you'll want to dissolve it in the warm milk until little bubbles appear before adding the rest of the dough ingredients. The dough may take longer to rise with active dry yeast as well. To make overnight cinnamon rolls After placing rolls into the greased pan (after the first rise), simply cover, place overnight in the fridge and then bake them in the morning as directed. I like to bring my cinnamon rolls to room temperature first by leaving them on the counter for 30-45 minutes before baking (this is known as the second rise). SOURCE: ambitiouskitchen.com