Description
These cinnamon rolls are as tender and tasty as standard yeast based rolls but so much quicker to make since it uses buttermilk and baking powder. You can have fresh hot rolls (made from scratch) on your table in less than an hour!
Ingredients
Scale
For the pan
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
For the dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (divided)
For the icing
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
For the pan
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter into a 9-inch cake pan; brush to evenly coat the bottom and side of pan.
For the filling
- Stir the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl with a fork until evenly mixed. Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and stir until mixture resembles wet sand and butter is evenly mixed in; set aside.
For the dough
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk buttermilk and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a glass measuring cup or small bowl until combined.
- Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until liquid is absorbed and dough starts to come together.
- With floured hands, lightly knead the dough together in the bowl until just smooth and no longer shaggy. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and pat dough with floured hands into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle.
- Brush dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
- Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon-sugar filling, leaving 1/2-inch border of plain dough around edges. Press filling firmly into dough to help it stay in place.
- Using bench scraper or metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Starting at long side, roll dough, pressing lightly, to form tight log. Pinch seam to seal.
- Roll log seam-side down and cut crosswise evenly into eight pieces. Slightly flatten each piece of dough with your hand to seal open edges and keep filling in place.
- Place one roll in center of prepared pan, then place remaining seven rolls around perimeter of pan.
- Brush with 2 tablespoons remaining melted butter.
- Bake until edges are golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool rolls in pan for 5-10 minutes before icing.
For the icing and finishing the cinnamon rolls
- While rolls are cooling, whisk cream cheese and buttermilk in medium bowl until thick and smooth. The mixture will look like cottage cheese at first but will smooth out as you whisk it. Add confectioner’s sugar and continue whisking until smooth glaze forms. Spread glaze evenly over the rolls and serve.
Notes
- Note that the recipe calls for a total of eight tablespoons of melted butter for the filling, dough, and pan. It is easiest if you melt the entire amount in the beginning and measure it out as you need it. Also, note that the six tablespoons of butter used in the dough are divided as well. Two tablespoons are mixed into the dough, another two tablespoons are brushed on the rolled out dough, and the final two tablespoons are brushed on the rolls before baking.
- For a prettier presentation, you can invert the rolls on to a plate and then invert the rolls again on to a serving platter (after they have cooled slightly in the pan but before you spread icing on the rolls).
- Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.
