Joy the Baker

BAKEHOUSE LIVE: Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

Hello friends! 

I’m so excited to bake with you this Friday afternoon, 

Here is the cinnamon roll recipe we’ll use. Feel free to print it out and have it on hand if you’re baking along with me. 

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Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

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Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough:

  • 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg yolk

For the Filling:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

For the Glaze: (it’s optional)

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk, or enough to make a pourable glaze

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan warm the milk to just warmer than body temperature.
  2. Transfer milk to a large bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top. Add a pinch of brown sugar. Allow mixture to sit for 3-5 minutes to allow to yeast to activate, foam, and froth.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, brown sugar. Break the softened butter into a few large chunks and add to the flour mixture. Create a well in the center of the bowl and pour the warm yeast milk into the flour mixture. Use a wooden spoon or hand beaters with the dough hook attachment and stir or beat until incorporated and a ball starts to form. Add more flour, a few tablespoons at a time if the dough feels to wet. Bring the dough together into a smooth ball by kneading by hand for 5 minutes or so.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a roughly 9 x 12-inch rectangle.
  6. Spread with about 4 tablespoons of butter. In a small bowl stir together sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder (if using), and salt. Generously sprinkle over the melted butter. Roll starting at the longer edge into a tight coil.
  7. Slice into 6 pieces.
  8. Use remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch baking pan. Place rolls in the pan leaving about 1/2 inch of room between them. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 20-30 minutes.
  9. While the rolls rise, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  10. Remove plastic wrap and bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown, puffed, and bubbling.
  11. Remove from the oven, allow to cool just slightly.
  12. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over warm rolls and enjoy!!

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• Feel free to use any fat milk or any non dairy substitute you have on hand.
• If you’d like to double this recipe, use an entire egg rather than two egg yolks
• Bread flour also works well for this recipe.
• Granulated sugar works if you don’t have brown sugar.
• You can also use jam to fill the rolls instead of cinnamon sugar – cut the filling butter if half if you’d like to do this.