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American Cinnamon Rolls

American cinnamon rolls differ significantly from kanelbullar, the Swedish cinnamon rolls. They are large, soft, and exceptionally sweet, thanks to the addition of cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 700 g Flour
  • 60 g Sugar
  • 16 g Salt
  • 20 g Fresh Yeast* or 6.6g Instant Dry Yeast
  • 410 g Milk
  • 140 g Butter softened

Filling

  • 200 g Softened Butter
  • 100 g Sugar
  • 10 g Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 50 g Butter softened
  • 100 g Cream Cheese
  • 150 g Powdered Sugar
  • Pinch of Flake Salt
  • Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, fresh yeast (or instant dry yeast), and milk. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes.
  • Add the softened butter to the dough mixture and mix on medium/medium-high speed until the dough becomes shiny and elastic, about 20 minutes.
  • Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it becomes cold all the way through, usually about an hour or two.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C).
  • Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle.
  • Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Sprinkle this mixture over the buttered dough.
  • Starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll up the dough into a log shape.
  • Cut the rolled dough into large slices, about 2 inches thick.
  • Place the cinnamon roll slices in a greased baking dish, leaving some space between each one.
  • Allow the rolls to rise until they double in size, about 1-2 hours.
  • Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and the internal temperature reaches around 89°C (192°F).
  • While the rolls are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a bowl, cream together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, pinch of flake salt, and a splash of vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Once the rolls are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.
  • While the rolls are still warm, generously spread the cream cheese frosting over the top, allowing it to melt into the rolls.
  • Eat and enjoy!

Video

Notes

*To convert from fresh yeast to instant dry yeast, multiply the fresh yeast quantity by 0.33. For example, if the recipe calls for 20g fresh yeast, you can use approximately 6.6g of instant dry yeast instead. Adjust according to the yeast package instructions. Also, if you are using dry yeast, be sure to “bloom” it first. Warm the milk just until it's warm, but not hot. Add a pinch of sugar and the yeast and stir together. Let sit for 10-15 minutes or until you start to see some bubbles. Proceed with the recipe as above.