Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Written by joythebaker on June 10, 2009 – 2:10 am -
I made rolls, of the cinnamon variety.
I use cinnamon rolls as a sort of… well, anxiety calming drug. I don’t pop pills, I definitely pop cinnamon rolls.
See… there was this thing invented a good long while ago called the 10 Year Class Reunion. It’s where you get together with all the people that made fun of you during your painfully awkward teenage years. Yea. Why? Why do I have to do this? Can’t we all just become friends on Facebook and Twitter and consider ourselves properly reunited!?
Seriously. The future is now!
Since I think I’m going to gracefully bow out of the reunion festivities, here’s the CliffsNotes of what I might have said to my old classmates.
Hi. Yea, it’s me Joy. I sat behind you in.. a bunch of classes probably. Here’s the update. I went to college. I read a lot of books. I graduated. I traveled around some. I haven’t gotten married or pregnant yet. Yea.. I’m prettier now, but that’s mostly because I was actually really ugly when you knew me. I’m a baker. I think it’s the most awesome thing ever. I know a crap ton about food. Would you like to discuss French cheeses at all? I have a blog… also awesome. Sure, I’d like to meet your boyfriend Steve. I recognize him from your Facebook photos. Your relationship status is “complicated” though… care to discuss? No? Hm… well, sure I’d like to see pictures of your kids. Would you like to see pictures of my cinnamon rolls? It’s only fair.
Don’t make me go to this thing. It will be awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward!
I need counsel and another cinnamon roll.
These cinnamon rolls are nothing short of amazing. The cream cheese is folded (literally) into the dough, creating an extra moist, truly irresistible roll. They take time… sure. Yes. But when it comes to things like your 10 Year Class Reunion… you just take the time to make the rolls. It’s necessary.
Here’s the recipe.
Below the recipe are my step by step photos, in case you get knee deep into the recipe and panic.
Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Saveur October 2008
For the Dough:
1 1/4oz package active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon, plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk at room temperature
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for kneading
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
For the Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Icing:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
Making the Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup water heated to 115 degrees F. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy and foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat with a wire whisk until well combined. Fit the bowl onto the mixer, fitting with the dough hook attachment. Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough just begins to come together. Turn the machine on medium-high and knead the dough for 4 minutes.
Add the butter and continue to knead for about 6 minutes. The dough will the wet and sticky. Place the dough on a well floured work surface, and knead about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into the dough. Don’t worry, the dough still might be a little sticky. It’s ok. Just set the dough to rest in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar, dark brown sugar, pecans, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt and cloves in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled in size, dump if from the bowl onto a heavily floured work surface. Gently knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed. I think I added about 3 Tablespoons of flour. Work the dough for about 1 or 2 minutes. Once it’s no longer sticky, place a kitchen towel over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes before you roll it out.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 x 10-inch square.
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with a knife until it’s smooth and spreadable.
Spread the cream cheese evenly over the dough square. Fold the square into thirds like you would fold a letter to fit into an envelope. Take the open ends of the rectangle and fold into thirds again, to make a smaller dough square.
Invert the dough so that the seam is face down and, using the rolling pin, gently roll it into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. You make find that some cream cheese sneaks through. Be as gently as possible with the dough, but continue to work it until you reach the size you need.
Turn the dough so that the short sides are parallel to you. You’re going to roll from the short sides of the dough.
Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. We’ll use the rest of the butter after the rolls are baked.
Pour all of the filling onto the dough. Spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder at one of the short edges of the dough so the roll can be properly sealed. Lightly press the filling into the dough.
Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder. Place dough cylinder seam side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp, thin knife, trim off the uneven edges.
Cut cylinder into 8 equal slices. Nestle the slices, cut side up and evenly spaced in a butter 9 x 13-inch (light colored) metal baking dish. Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 2 hours. You may also refrigerate rolls overnight.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover the rolls. If you refrigerated the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Make the icing: While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar and buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth.
Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Brush with remaining butter. Let cool for 5 minutes. Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle over the rolls. Serve immediately.
Some of the stuff you’ll need.
This is what the dough looks like as it’s coming together after the flour is added.
After kneading in the mixer for 10 minutes, I took the dough out, added 1/3 cup more flour and kneaded.
Gettin’ ready for the first rise.
Now make the filling!
Big, happy dough after 2 hours!
Knead the dough on a heavily floured surface, adding more flour so the dough is no longer sticky.
Roll that darling in a 10 x 10-inch circle and cream cheese it!
Fold it up.
And again.
Keep folding.
Done!
Now roll again. This time to 10 x 20-inches.
Time for the good stuff.
And roll.
Trim the edges and slice into 8 slices.
Into the pan.
And baked!
That’s good stuff. Great job.
Think this recipe is a little too daunting!? I understand… you might like this one though!
Tags: Bread, Breakfast, cinnamon rolls, cream cheese, yeast
Posted in Bread, Breakfast, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Thoughts | 142 Comments »
Completely drool-worthy.
These look incredible! And, cinnamon rolls are way better than class reunions. The cream cheese has drawn me in; I have to try these.
I wish I was successful with yeast. I would SOOO try these!!
Joy this is hands down my favourite post you have ever done!!! Too funny!
And those cinnamon rolls are definately moving to the top of my “want” list
Ugh, Joy, DON’T go. Quite honestly, I never even went to my graduation ceremony, just to convey how little high school meant to me. Reunions are just ego-trips, and that’s not your style, so I say just honor it by baking what were your favorite foods at that time, and stay home
Love your sight, Joy =]. I am seriously afraid to make cinnamon rolls lest I single handedly polish off a whole batch in one or two days. Which I have valiantly done twice. With these babies in my life the old “if you could take one thing to a deserted island, what would it be?” question covered.
Does anybody harass you about writing a book? If not, I think I’ll start. Do it!
JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i found you through Ceci’s new blog!
aaaaaaaawwww!!! you are the CUTEST!!!!!!!!
i LOVE that you are baking!!!!!!!
these cinnamon rolls look delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!
pardon the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but i’m way too excited about your bloggie!
hahahahah!! i don’t blame you about the reunion! i cant believe its been ten whole years! what?! so i’ve been watching Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion ahahahahah!!! i feel soo silly, cus i feel exactly the same… and lucky for me, i’m all the way NYC… won’t make it
i’m going to poke around and get some paper so i can try to make… everything!!!!!!!!
I don’t know what to say to these delicious looking rolls, but Joy, will you marry me?!
These look beyond delicious! BTW I’m with you on the whole class reunion thing. Can’t we just all be happy we “found” each other on Facebook and call it a day?
I was sold before I even read this post. The photographs alone have won me over… Cinnamon rolls are my one weakness. Sometimes I think you can read my mind!
i went to my 10 year reunion… awkward, Awkward, AWKWARD, bleah. i don’t think i’ll be going back until i’m as old as my granny was when she went last… 70-something, 80-ish, LOL!
but i believe i would give up EVERY H.S. reunion for the rest of my life [or until i'm senile, whichever comes first] for a whole pan of those cinnamon rolls ALL. TO. MYSELF.
seems like the best reason EVER to get out some baking pans and immerse myself in the graceful art of kneading . . .
Mmmmmmmm…..
p.s. i’m afraid there are just so many of you that i’d REALLY rather not find on FB either
Delish
look just great . could you put the amount of yeast in grams ?
i gotta make them
OMW – I made these yesterday and I can say they are awesome! The instructions are so clear – its the first time I’ve ever baked something that turned out the way it should!
Thanks Joy for giving me some courage to bake
And I discovered that kneading is really good stress relief!
Hey Joy!
I’ve been following your site for a while now, and I just want to tell you how great I think you and your baking are!! I made the cinnamon rolls yesterday and brought them into work – boy am I popular today!! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, and for illustrating each step. The only think that always confuses me are US measures, but I’ve managed to convert them properly (except for the yeast – at first I thought you meant 1 and 1/4 oz of yeast, which would have worked out to 35grams!! Fortunately I realized that couldn’t be right before proceeding to the next step).
Anyway, I’m going to start off my own food blog soon, so I’ll be in touch.
Stay as cool as you are!
Anne
Those cinnamon rolls look so good!
I loved this post! Partially for the cinammon rolls (they look fabulous) but mostly for the fact that I feel that exact same anxiety about my 10 year high school reunion next year. I’ll have to keep this recipe in mind.
The cinammon rolls look absolutely amazing. About the reunion… my grandfather hasn’t missed any of his class reunions. His high school is in Sioux City, Iowa – he lives in Florida. He makes new friends every time. 10 years is kind of a big deal… maybe it’s worth checking out?
Hi Joy,
Just discovered your blog and I am loving it! I am constantly on the lookout for my next cinnamon roll recipe and love the idea of cream cheese IN the dough. Genius, like rugelach but bigger.
My ten year reunion is coming up next year and I definitely understand your anxiety. Your post made me laugh out loud, especially the part about comparing children to cinnamon rolls. Personally, I’d be much more interested hearing about the cinnamon rolls…
These look delicious … but hard to make. I am thinking about making it a personal goal to have all those ingredients and baking tools by the end of the summer.Small but hey you gotta start somewhere.
[...] Since I think I’m going to gracRead more at http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/06/cream-cheese-cinnamon-rolls/ [...]
i have been stalking this blog for about a year, and at one time stalked about 50 food blogs. after several weeding-throughs, you are one of 2 i look at anymore. i have been searching for the perfect cinnamon roll recipe for 5 years and it seems i have finally found it. i just pulled these out of the oven and i am in love already. thanks!
and ps, don’t go to the reunion. i skipped mine and still think it was a good choice
Hi Joy! I’m still drooling and dreaming about these cinnamon rolls of yours. I haven’t had time to make them yet so I’ve stuck it at the top of my list of the top ten recipes I’ve been meaning to make. I’ll be preparing it for this month’s Top Ten’s challenge on Food*Nerd!”
http://foodnerd.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/june-top-tens-blog-envy/
[...] (Adapted from Joy the Baker) [...]
[...] 1. Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls from Joy the Baker [...]
I baked these today! I used half-n-half in my glaze instead of buttermilk. I also subtracted out the nuts and kept the raisins. I prepared the rolls and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight and baked them this morning. They were perfect and flaky. Since i live alone, I plan to freeze the other rolls and microwave them whenever I feel like having another one. Thanks for the lovely photos. YUM! These were so good. I plan to blog about them soon.
[...] see that crazy look of your face. But it’s me. The same person that brought you amazing Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls and Perfect Lemon Pound Cake. We trust each other. We have an understanding. Just go with me [...]
[...] http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/06/cream-cheese-cinnamon-rolls/ [...]
[...] Cinnamon Rolls. You didn’t fail me. I love [...]
Your love affair with baked goods is such a draw. It solidifies the verity of your recipe posts. Especially when the recipe comes from Saveur. The mag/website is a food-lovers dream. No recipe I’ve used from them has failed me. Nor have yours! I made the root-beer choc. cake this weekend and am cleaning up the crumbs only 48 hours after my friends and I cut into the cake.
I love to bake and will try these this weekend! I know this way past your class reunion, but here’s my take on them. My husband’s class reunion’s are more fun than mine, we’ve been to 4 of his and 2 of mine!
Joy. Oh joy!! What kissable dough! What nutrious filling!
What a scrumptuous meal in the middle of a warm Malian day … you have made two women living in Africa smile (very widely!). Merci for this absolutely fabulous recipe … definitely worth the five hours of preparation (which allowed for a lot of great chatting while anticipating)!
[...] Cinnamon rolls (defrost 15 min, bake 30 min) [...]
[...] Cream cheese cinnamon rolls Adapted from Joy the Baker [...]
I just finished making these. So good. Thanks!