My cousin Tessa Stone is a baker extraordinaire, recently graduating with a culinary degree and pastry degree. She is such fun to talk with about cooking and baking! I asked her to share something with my followers and she said that she is most often asked to make these cinnamon rolls. Don’t miss what she says is the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had!
Yield: 6–8 rolls
Dough
- Milk: 3/4 cup
- Yeast: 2 1/4 tsp
- Granulated sugar: 1/4 cup
- Egg: 1 + 1 yolk
- Unsalted butter: 1/4 cup
- All-purpose flour: 3 cups
- Salt: 3/4 tsp
Filling
- Brown sugar: 2/3 cup
- Butter: 1/4 cup
- Cinnamon: 1 1/2 Tbsp
Cream Cheese Icing
- Cream cheese: 4 oz
- Unsalted butter: 3 Tbsp
- Powdered sugar: 3/4 cup
- Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp
I usually double this recipe to make a full pan, but you can choose to keep it single batch. Absolutely this is the best recipe there is for cinnamon rolls.
Cinnamon Roll Method
- Heat milk to 180°F (scald), then cool until slightly warm.
- In a mixing bowl add flour, yeast, lukewarm milk, and sugar.
- Knead with dough hook until dough resembles a “shaggy mass.” Once shaggy, add salt.
- Continue kneading on low–medium speed until dough starts to form a ball.
- Add egg and egg yolk, then continue kneading.
- Slowly add in room temperature butter.
- Increase mixer speed to medium/high and knead until smooth.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let bulk ferment 1–2 hours or overnight.
- Roll dough into a long rectangle (about 1/4" thick). Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle heavily with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll up tightly from the long edge, then cut every 1.5–2 inches.
- Place in a greased 9x9 pan (or larger if doubling), spacing rolls about 2" apart. Brush tops with butter.
- Cover with a heavily dampened towel and let proof in a warm room until doubled. Brush with butter again before baking.
Icing
Cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add room temperature cream cheese while mixing on medium speed. Add vanilla and chill until rolls are ready.
