That Real Mom Life

The most pillowy soft and gooey cinnamon rolls. Warm and spiced with cinnamon, sweet and creamy frosting, just simply the best.

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Cinnamon rolls are a classic. Digging into a warm roll feels like Christmas morning. There’s really no better way to describe it. So nostalgic, warm and fluffy, while gooey and sweet in all the right places.

If there’s one thing that is important when I’m trying a cinnamon roll, it’s texture!! No one likes a tough dried out dough. Cinnamon rolls are more dense but when made right that is a good thing. A dense yet somehow pillowy soft dough may seem daunting to try and perfect but with a few simple steps, it’s easy!

My biggest tips for soft cinnamon rolls!

This dough uses the same method you would use to make Japanese Milk Bread (ie Shokupan). It’s called a tangzhong. It’s the process of heating flour and liquid (in this case milk) to create a thick paste. This paste gelatinizes the starches and allows the dough to hold onto more moisture, making for a super soft dough.

Weigh your flour!! One thing we’ve learned since opening a bakery that pushes out thousands of pastries and breads each month is weighing your ingredients is key, especially flour!! Cup measures can be inaccurate so the best way to get consistent results is to weigh your flour using a food scale. If you don’t have one another safe bet is breaking up your flour so it’s nice a fluffy with a spoon and then using that spoon to fill your measuring cup and leveling it off.

Heavy cream before baking. This is one of the secrets lots of great bakers know when it comes to cinnamon rolls. Drizzle a bit of heavy cream over each roll before baking and not only will the rolls be super soft, the sugar and butter that melt into the bottom of the pan will mix with the cream and get a caramel like consistency that is so delicious!

Let’s talk ingredients.

Pretty simple ingredients here for such a yummy pastry. I like to use dark brown sugar usually but I could only find light brown this time around and it works just fine!

Instructions

1. Make your tangzhong by whisking flour and milk over medium heat until a thick paste forms. Set it aside covered to cool while you assemble your other ingredients.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together your egg, sugar, milk, and yeast.
3. Weigh out your flour in a separate bowl and add in the salt and whisk to combine.
4. Add in your dry ingredients to the wet and add in the tangzhong. Mix on medium using the dough hook attachments until a shaggy dough forms.
5. Throw in your butter and kick it back on to medium. Let knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. If it’s too loose and sticky, add a few tablespoons of flour at a time. The dough should be a little tacky but not super sticky.
6. Let the dough proof while covered in a warm spot until doubled in size. Should take an hour or so – keep an eye on it and let it go until it’s truly doubled in size!
7. While the dough rises, make a paste from butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. This will be your filling!
8. Once the dough has doubled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it’s around 24 inches by 12 inches.
9. Spread on the cinnamon, sugar, butter paste evenly and roll up into a log. The log should be around 24 inches long. If it’s not, take your hands and gently squeeze/stretch it to reach 24 inches.
10. With a sharp serrated knife, cut every two inches to make 12 rolls.
11. Set the rolls in a buttered baking dish and cover to let rise for 30 minutes.
12. Preheat your oven to 350 and once the rolls have risen for 30 minutes, cover each roll in a bit of heavy cream and bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
13. While the rolls cool down, make your cream cheese frosting and frost when the rolls are no longer very hot.
14. Best enjoyed while warm!!

Let’s get to the recipe!