Classic Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with dough hook (or strong arms and patience)
• •Rolling pin
• •9 by 13 inch baking pan
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Offset spatula
• •Bench scraper

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate the yeast

   Warm your milk to 110°F. It should feel like comfortable bathwater on your wrist. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it stand for five minutes. You're looking for a foamy cap to form on the surface, proof that your yeast is alive and hungry. If nothing happens, your yeast is dead or your milk was too hot. Start again with fresh yeast.

   Instant yeast is more forgiving than active dry, but it still dies above 120°F. Use a thermometer until you learn what 110°F feels like.
2. 2

   Build the dough

   Add the egg, egg yolk, and salt to the yeast mixture. Whisk to combine. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook on low speed until a shaggy mass forms. No dry flour should remain, but the dough will look rough and unpromising. This is correct. Let it rest for 10 minutes. This autolyse period allows the flour to hydrate fully, making the next step easier.

   Weighing your flour matters here. A cup scooped from the bag can contain 30% more flour than one spooned and leveled, which will produce a dense, dry roll.
3. 3

   Incorporate the butter

   With the mixer running on medium-low (or by hand with a wooden spoon and considerable effort), add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Wait until each addition disappears before adding the next. The dough will look greasy and broken at first. Keep mixing. After 8 to 10 minutes, it will transform into a smooth, elastic, slightly tacky ball that pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl. It should pass the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing.

4. 4

   First rise

   Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set it somewhere warm, around 75°F, and let it rise until doubled in size. This takes 1 to 1½ hours depending on your kitchen's temperature. The dough is ready when you poke it with a floured finger and the indentation fills back slowly, about halfway. If it springs back immediately, give it more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, you've overproofed.

   No warm spot? Turn your oven on for exactly 1 minute, then turn it off. Place the covered bowl inside with the light on. That ambient warmth is perfect.
5. 5

   Prepare the filling

   While the dough rises, combine the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Mash with a fork to break up any sugar lumps. The filling should be uniform and fragrant. Have your very soft butter ready. It needs to spread like mayonnaise. If you can't smear it easily across your palm, it's too cold.

6. 6

   Roll the dough

   Punch down the risen dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle approximately 18 by 14 inches, with the long side facing you. The dough will resist and spring back. Let it rest for a minute or two when it fights you, then continue. Aim for even thickness throughout. Thin spots will tear when you roll. Thick spots will produce uneven baking.

7. 7

   Fill and roll

   Spread the soft butter evenly over the dough, leaving a half-inch border along the far long edge. That bare strip will help seal your roll. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it gently so it adheres. Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log. Keep consistent tension but don't squeeze so hard that filling oozes out. When you reach the bare edge, pinch the seam firmly to seal.

   An offset spatula spreads butter more evenly than a knife. Work from the center outward to avoid tearing the dough.
8. 8

   Cut the rolls

   Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss (slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice cleanly), cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Each roll should be about 1½ inches thick. Place them cut-side up in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking pan, leaving about half an inch between each roll. They'll grow into each other during proofing, which is what you want. Those soft, pull-apart sides are part of the charm.

9. 9

   Second rise

   Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The rolls should look pillowy and have grown together. When you gently press one with a floured fingertip, the indentation should spring back slowly. Preheat your oven to 375°F during the last 15 minutes of proofing.

10. 10

    Bake

    Remove the plastic wrap and bake until the rolls are golden brown on top and the internal temperature reaches 190°F, about 22 to 28 minutes. The edges should be deeply golden, the centers slightly paler. If they're browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. The kitchen will smell extraordinary. Try to be patient.

11. 11

    Make the frosting

    While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, another 2 minutes. The frosting should be spreadable but hold its shape.

12. 12

    Frost and serve

    Let the rolls cool in the pan for 10 minutes. No longer. You want them warm when the frosting hits. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the top, letting it melt slightly into the crevices and pool between the rolls. Serve immediately. These are best eaten within hours of baking, pulled apart at the table by eager hands. The center roll is the prize.

Chef Tips

• •Dark brown sugar matters here. Its higher molasses content creates a more complex, almost caramel flavor in the filling. Light brown sugar works but tastes thinner.
• •If your kitchen is cold, proof the dough in your oven with just the light on. That small bulb generates enough warmth to keep yeast happy.
• •For cleaner slices, refrigerate the filled log for 15 minutes before cutting. The butter firms slightly and the rolls hold their spiral shape better.
• •Room temperature ingredients aren't optional with enriched doughs. Cold eggs or butter will shock the yeast and produce dense, tough rolls.
• •Save one roll unfrosted to test doneness next time. You'll learn exactly what properly baked looks like in your particular oven.

Advance Preparation

• •For overnight rolls, complete through step 8, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 18 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 to 1½ hours before baking to allow the rolls to come to room temperature and complete their second rise.
• •Unbaked rolls can be frozen after cutting: freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then proof at room temperature before baking.
• •Frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and re-whip briefly before using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 roll (about 190g)