Years ago, there used to be a Cinnabon in our local shopping center. This started my love affair with cinnamon rolls.
Warm, gooey, with a light sweet dough, cinnamon rolls are that perfect Autumnal treat. But they are still quite a rarity in the UK, with most recipes using US measurement systems and ingredients. So after a while spent Pinning, researching and recipe testing I've finally sussed out a simple and super tasty cinnamon roll recipe! I've taken bits from a handful of different recipes and techniques, and adapted quantities and measurements along the way. These are my 'standard' cinnamon rolls; by browning the butter you're given added depth and richness, and the frosting adds moisture.
Watch this space over the coming weeks, as I'll also be sharing a festive take on the recipe!
For the dough200ml semi-skimmed milk45g unsalted butter525g plain flour1 sachet fast action dried yeast (I use this)50g caster sugar55ml water1 large egg
You'll need a baking dish around 13 x 10 inches in size, although sightly smaller would be fine.
Warm the milk in a pan - don't boil - and add the butter to melt. Leave aside to cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, add 335g of your flour (put the rest aside for a minute), the yeast sachet and caster sugar and combine. Then add the water, egg and the milk/butter mixture and beat well with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining flour (you should have 190g left over) a bit at a time, mixing well. It should feel like a little workout now, as your dough starts to come together! It should be pretty sticky by this point. Place it on a lightly floured surface and gently knead for a few minutes until smooth. You should be able to poke it and see it spring back up. Cover with a damp cloth and leave whilst you make your filling; around ten minutes.
For the filling50g unsalted butter170g dark brown sugar1 heaped tablespoon ground cinnamon
Quickly wash up the pan you warmed the milk in, and use to make the filling. Add the butter and put over a medium heat until completely melted. It then should start popping, and slowly turning brown in color - this should take a few minutes. Be careful not to have the heat too high or it'll burn.
Roll your dough out on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle, approximately the size of your baking dish. Pour over your brown butter and smooth over the whole rectangle using a pastry brush. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, before pouring over the buttery pastry, filling right to the edges and pressing the sugar down with your hands to keep in place.
Roll the dough length-ways (along the long side), not too tightly, but enough to have a couple of rolls. Pinch the seam to seal, and cut in to twelve equal sized rolls. Grease the tin with butter, and place the pastry roles in. Cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to proof for thirty minutes - they should double in size. I don't have a airing cupboard or similar, so warm my oven to 100°C, turn off and pop in there.
Once proofing finished, pre-heat your oven to 180°C and bake for around twenty minutes, or until golden.
For the frosting30g unsalted butter (softened)115g cream cheese (full fat)250g icing sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat together the butter and cream cheese - ideally with an electric mixer - until smooth and slightly whipped in consistency. Add the vanilla extract, and then the icing sugar gradually. I piped the icing on, but in all honesty they taste best when smothered liberally with the stuff!
Serve warm with coffee and feel your life improve tenfold!
