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Brian Sunter

Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, pillowy cinnamon rolls with bold cinnamon flavor and rich vanilla icing. King Arthur's 2021 Recipe of the Year.

18 minutes cook 30 minutes prep 2 hours 50 minutes total 8 servings
breakfast cinnamon rolls baking sweet roll make ahead
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 0.50 cup milk
  • 5 tablespoons bread flour
  • 0.67 cup cold milk
  • 2.50 cups bread flour
  • 1.12 teaspoon table salt
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 0.50 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 0.50 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • — confectioners
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Equipment

  • saucepan
  • mixing bowl
  • stand mixer
  • bowl
  • baking sheet
  • rack
  • spatula

Instructions

Tangzhong

1

Combine 0.50 cup milk and 3 tablespoons bread flour in a small saucepan and whisk until no lumps remain.

2

Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened, paste-like, and the spoon or spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, 1-3 minutes .

3

Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer .

Dough

4

Add 0.67 cup cold milk , 2.50 cups bread flour , 1 teaspoon table salt , 2 tablespoons granulated sugar , 2 teaspoons instant yeast , and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened) to the mixing bowl with the tangzhong.

5

Mix to bring the dough together, then knead until smooth, elastic, and tacky, 10-15 minutes . If using a stand mixer with the dough hook on medium-low speed, 10-12 minutes .

6

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl , and cover with plastic wrap or a reusable cover.

7

Let the dough rise until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk, 60-90 minutes .

Filling

8

While the dough is rising, combine 1 tablespoon melted butter , 0.50 cup light brown sugar (packed), 2 tablespoons bread flour , 3 to 4 teaspoons cinnamon , and 0.06 teaspoon table salt in a medium bowl . Stir until the mixture is the texture of damp sand.

9

Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls

10

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and press it into a 10 " x 12 " rectangle about 1/2" thick. For evenly shaped rolls, try to pat the dough into an actual rectangle with corners, rather than an oval.

11

Sprinkle the filling over the dough, covering all but a 1/2" strip along one long side.

12

Starting with the filling-covered long side, roll the dough into a log.

13

Score the dough lightly into eight equal 1 1/2" to 2 " pieces, then cut at the score marks. Dental floss gives the cleanest cut: loop it underneath the log at the score mark and pull the ends in opposite directions to cut.

14

Place the cinnamon rolls onto the prepared baking sheet , spacing them at least 2 " apart in a 3-2-3 arrangement. Tuck the ends of the spirals underneath so they stay in place.

15

Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a reusable cover and let rise, 30-60 minutes , until puffy and the dough doesn't bounce back immediately when gently pressed.

Bake

16

About 20 minutes before baking, position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

17

Bake the cinnamon rolls for 14-18 minutes , until light golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 190°F. Bake for the shorter time for extra-soft rolls, the longer time for more color and slightly firmer texture.

18

Remove from the oven, place the pan on a rack , and brush the hot rolls with 1.50 tablespoons melted butter .

19

Let the cinnamon rolls cool, 10-15 minutes , before icing.

Icing

20

Combine the remaining 1.50 tablespoons melted butter with 0.50 teaspoon vanilla extract , 0.06 teaspoon table salt , confectioners ' sugar{1 1/2%cups} (sifted), and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (enough to thin to desired consistency) in a medium bowl . Mix with a spatula until smooth.

21

Ice the cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. If serving later, wait to ice until just before serving.

Storage

22

Store completely cooled cinnamon rolls, un-iced and well wrapped, for a couple of days at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls
description: "Soft, pillowy cinnamon rolls with bold cinnamon flavor and rich vanilla icing. King Arthur's 2021 Recipe of the Year."
servings: 8
total time: 2 hours 50 minutes
prep time: 30 minutes
cook time: 18 minutes
tags: [cinnamon rolls, baking, breakfast, sweet roll, make ahead]
cuisine: American
difficulty: intermediate
---

== Tangzhong ==

Combine @milk{1/2%cup} and @bread flour{3%tablespoons} in a small #saucepan{} and whisk until no lumps remain.

Place the #saucepan{} over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened, paste-like, and the spoon or spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, ~{1-3%minutes}.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a large #mixing bowl{} or the bowl of a #stand mixer{}.

== Dough ==

Add @cold milk{2/3%cup}, @bread flour{2 1/2%cups}, @table salt{1%teaspoon}, @granulated sugar{2%tablespoons}, @instant yeast{2%teaspoons}, and @unsalted butter{4%tablespoons} (softened) to the mixing bowl with the tangzhong.

Mix to bring the dough together, then knead until smooth, elastic, and tacky, ~{10-15%minutes}. If using a #stand mixer{} with the dough hook on medium-low speed, ~{10-12%minutes}.

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a #bowl{}, and cover with plastic wrap or a reusable cover.

Let the dough rise until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk, ~{60-90%minutes}.

== Filling ==

While the dough is rising, combine @melted butter{1%tablespoon}, @light brown sugar{1/2%cup} (packed), @bread flour{2%tablespoons}, @cinnamon{3 to 4%teaspoons}, and @table salt{1/16%teaspoon} in a medium #bowl{}. Stir until the mixture is the texture of damp sand.

> Use the lesser amount of cinnamon for stronger varieties like Vietnamese (Saigon); the larger amount for milder cinnamons like Indonesian/Ceylon.

Lightly grease a #baking sheet{} or line it with parchment paper.

== Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls ==

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and press it into a 10" x 12" rectangle about 1/2" thick. For evenly shaped rolls, try to pat the dough into an actual rectangle with corners, rather than an oval.

Sprinkle the filling over the dough, covering all but a 1/2" strip along one long side.

Starting with the filling-covered long side, roll the dough into a log.

Score the dough lightly into eight equal 1 1/2" to 2" pieces, then cut at the score marks. Dental floss gives the cleanest cut: loop it underneath the log at the score mark and pull the ends in opposite directions to cut.

Place the cinnamon rolls onto the prepared #baking sheet{}, spacing them at least 2" apart in a 3-2-3 arrangement. Tuck the ends of the spirals underneath so they stay in place.

Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a reusable cover and let rise, ~{30-60%minutes}, until puffy and the dough doesn't bounce back immediately when gently pressed.

== Bake ==

About ~{20%minutes} before baking, position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the cinnamon rolls for ~{14-18%minutes}, until light golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 190°F. Bake for the shorter time for extra-soft rolls, the longer time for more color and slightly firmer texture.

Remove from the oven, place the pan on a #rack{}, and brush the hot rolls with @melted butter{1 1/2%tablespoons}.

Let the cinnamon rolls cool, ~{10-15%minutes}, before icing.

== Icing ==

Combine the remaining @melted butter{1 1/2%tablespoons} with @vanilla extract{1/2%teaspoon}, @table salt{1/16%teaspoon}, @confectioners{}' sugar{1 1/2%cups} (sifted), and @milk{1 to 2%tablespoons} (enough to thin to desired consistency) in a medium #bowl{}. Mix with a #spatula{} until smooth.

> Milk makes a lovely frosting; cream adds richness, buttermilk adds subtle tang.

Ice the cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. If serving later, wait to ice until just before serving.

== Storage ==

Store completely cooled cinnamon rolls, un-iced and well wrapped, for a couple of days at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.

> For overnight cinnamon rolls: bake the day before, store tightly sealed and un-iced at room temperature overnight. The next morning, cover with foil and warm in a 300°F to 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Spread with icing and enjoy.

> For cream cheese frosting: stir in 4 to 6 tablespoons softened cream cheese to the icing along with the other ingredients.