Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll

If you love cinnamon rolls as much as I do, then this recipe is perfect for you. Soft, pillowy milk bread is filled with gooey brown sugar, cinnamon butter, and generously topped with cream cheese frosting. I promise you, this treat is so delicious that you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one.

note: If you prefer your buns to be drier and less gooey, with a texture that’s more dry, I suggest skipping the step of placing the cinnamon rolls in the heavy cream mixture. Instead, place the cinnamon roll directly onto the baking pan.

ingredients

FOR DOUGH

• 525g bread flour
• 10g salt
• 85g granulated sugar
• 6g dry yeast
• 145g whole milk
• 100g cold water
• 160g heavy cream
• 50g unsalted butter

FOR FILLING

• 80g unsalted butter
• 140g brown sugar
• 25g granulated sugar 
• 2 tsp + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt 

FOR BAKING 

• 80g heavy cream
• 55g brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 

• 220g cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 60g powder sugar
• 65g heavy cream

PROCESS

For dough

1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, salt, granulated sugar, and dry yeast. Stir until well combined.
2. Add milk, cold water and heavy cream. With a stand mixer on medium-low speed, knead for 8 minutes.
3. Add butter and continue kneading for an additional 20 minutes. Alternatively, knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.

For filling 

1. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt,  unsalted butter and cinnamon for the filling.
2. Spread the cinnamon mixture over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. (optional: you can cut the dough into strips, using a pizza cutter and then tightly roll them in)
3. Starting from one long edge, tightly roll up the dough into a log.
4. Cut the log into 8 – 12 even slices using a sharp knife or a piece of unflavored dental floss.

For baking 

1. In a small bowl, combine heavy cream, brown sugar, and salt, mixing until well combined.
2. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking pan
3. Place the rolls in a greased baking dish, leaving a little space between each roll.
4. Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
5. Once the rolls have risen, bake them in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until they are golden brown.
6. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool slightly while you make the frosting.

For frosting 

1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined and creamy.
3. Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly, spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the top of each roll.
4. Serve the rolls warm and enjoy!

Notes: These cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, but you can also store any leftovers in an airtight container. Simply reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving. Enjoy your delicious homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting!