Spicy Sticky Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
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I come from a generously-sized family, the sort that prompted wide eyes and under-the-breath counting from strangers who glimpsed our brood at the library or grocery store. I’ll spare you the counting and say that I have five brothers and two sisters, so eight of us, plus parents, and now assorted spouses and in-laws. Christmas is an all-day affair for us, with stockings and enough presents to necessitate an intermission about halfway through unwrapping. But as we’ve grown up and gotten married, things have shifted; last year we did Christmas in the evening, instead of in the morning, and every holiday now has a marked absence of a sibling (or two) celebrating with someone else’s family.
But there is one inviolable tradition that still binds our Christmases together, and that is my mother’s cinnamon rolls.
My mother’s cinnamon rolls are warm and yeasty, prepared ahead of time but baked Christmas morning, enticing people out of bed (since we’re now mostly too old to spring out of bed at 4:30am, or camp under the tree). My brothers anticipate them eagerly and devour them instantly.
On Christmas I leave the roll duties to my mother, since, you know, tradition. But I love her recipe and use it too, especially when we have overnight guests, since these rolls are so easy to make ahead and bake off in a few minutes. This recipe makes two dozen rolls, and I like to make a full batch but freeze half of them for impromptu brunches.
I do add my own twists; I like to go beyond cinnamon and add a few extra spices for aroma and taste. Star anise, cardamom, coriander — they add a little something special.
These cinnamon rolls are sweet, spicy, and decadent, and they can satisfy those who want a crunchy sugar glaze on the bottom and creamy icing on top. All it takes (all it ever takes, really) is a little extra butter and a little extra sugar. These are not a breakfast for those on a diet; these are not to be made every weekend. But when you’re making cinnamon rolls, in my opinion it’s best to go all out — they’re a generous treat for family mornings, a tradition from my family to yours.
Spicy Sticky Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
Makes 24 rolls
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 1/4 teaspoons
(1 envelope) active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 cups
milk, lightly warmed
- 1/2 cup
sugar
- 6 tablespoons
unsalted butter, very soft
- 2
large eggs
- 1 tablespoon
vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon
salt
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups
flour
For the filling:
- 4
small cinnamon sticks
- 1
star anise pod
- 1 teaspoon
coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon
cardamom seeds or powder
- 1 cup
dark brown sugar
- 1 cup
(2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
For the icing:
- 4 ounces
cream cheese, very soft
- 1/2 cup
milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon
vanilla
- 1 cup
powdered sugar, plus more as desired
Instructions
To make the dough, sprinkle 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) yeast over 1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside for 5 minutes until slightly bubbly. Use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer to beat in 1/2 cup sugar, 6 tablepoons very soft butter, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough is thick but still a little sticky.
Switch to dough hook and knead in the stand mixer for 5 minutes or until dough clears side of mixer and is taut and smooth. (Alternately, knead by hand on a floured countertop for 6 to 8 minutes or until smooth and springy.)
Spray the dough and bowl lightly with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball and place in greased bowl, turning it to make sure it's coated in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled — about 2 hours.
For the filling, grind the spices in a spice grinder until fine and mix with the brown sugar. (If you want to skip the extra spices or use powdered cinnamon instead of whole, substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons cinnamon for all the spices.) Cream the butter with the spices and sugar in a mixer or with hand beaters.
Lightly grease two 9-inch cake pans (a 9x13-inch pan works fine as well). On a floured surface roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 14 inches by 24 inches. When the dough is rolled out, slather it thickly with the creamed butter and sugar, making sure to spread it nearly to the edges. Roll up along the long side, stretching and pulling the dough into a taut and tight roll. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut into 24 individual rolls.
Divide the rolls among the prepared pans and let rise in a warm place until the rolls double in size — 45 to 60 minutes. While rolls are rising, heat oven to 350F.
Bake the rolls for 20 to 27 minutes. The best way to determine doneness is to take their temperature; they are done when between 190 and 200F.
For the icing, beat the cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and sugar together, adding more powdered sugar as necessary to get the consistency you prefer. Drizzle over hot rolls with a fork. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Make Ahead: To make the rolls ahead of time, follow the recipe up until baking. Par-bake the rolls for just 10 minutes. Remove the rolls and let them cool, then freeze them in their pans or in freezer bags. To finish baking, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Then bake in the morning at 350ºF for 10 to 15 minutes. Frost and serve warm. For more detailed instructions, read our tutorial on How To Freeze Cinnamon Rolls and Bake Them Later.
