Breakfast in Bed Recipe: IKEA-Inspired Cinnamon Rolls
If you’ve ever decorated a home on a budget, chances are you’ve braved IKEA, the Swedish temple of cheap housewares and warm cinnamon rolls. We decided to recreate the popular rolls to IKEA standards – a few simple components and easy assembly for breakfast in bed.
There’s no shortage of cinnamon roll recipes out there (as well as sticky buns, their doughier, caramel-coated sister). Most require time for dough to rise, which I took in stride with my first batch. But after hours of mixing and rising (twice!), I pulled dry, disappointing blobs from the oven. No, my guests said sadly (as we ate around an IKEA table), I wouldn’t make those again.
Let’s face it. I love fresh bread as much as the next girl, and enjoy making it when I have the time. But when I wake up craving cinnamon rolls I’m about as likely to start kneading as I am to build that bureau from scratch. This is about convenience: I want pre-made pieces I can screw together with an Allen key.
After that scarily Sandra Lee moment of realization I took a different tack. IKEA rolls are bready (unlike the gooey goodness of Cinnabon), so why not start with bread dough…. or Trader Joe’s pizza dough, to be exact. Brush a square with melted butter and cinnamon-sugar, roll into swirls and bake, simple as that.
In 30 minutes, my house smelled of cinnamon and warm rolls emerged from the oven (tasting, if I may say so, better than IKEA’s). Are there more authentic recipes out there? Sure, just like there’s beautiful vintage furniture. But when you want to start the day with fresh-baked sweets, these no-fuss rolls are just the ticket.
IKEA-Inspired Cinnamon Rolls
Makes 6 cinnamon rolls
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 package
Trader Joe's plain pizza dough*
- 3 tablespoons
butter, melted
- 1/3 cup
granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon
ground cinnamon
For the icing:
- 1 tablespoon
whipped cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon
buttermilk
- 3/4 cup
confectioners' sugar, sifted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cinnamon and sugar. On a lightly-floured surface, roll pizza dough into a 9-inch square. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, leaving 1/2 inch border of plain dough around edges.
Roll dough to form a tight log, pinching to seal the seam shut. With the seam side down, cut evenly into six pieces with a serrated knife. Place in buttered pan, and brush tops with any remaining butter.
Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before icing.
For Icing: Whisk cream cheese and buttermilk in large bowl until thick and smooth. Sift in confectioners' sugar; whisk until smooth glaze forms, about 30 seconds.
Drizzle glaze over buns with a spoon. Or, if you want to get fancy, fill a plastic Ziploc bag with the glaze, cut off the tip of one corner, and drizzle in a professional-looking zigzag. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
* You can substitute 2 packages of Pillsbury's French Loaf dough for the Trader Joe's pizza dough. The Pillsbury dough also made tasty rolls, but did they not rise as much in the oven.
(Images: Liz Vidyarthi)