Okay, cinnamon rolls are the ultimate fall and winter food, there, we said it. They smell incredible like every perfect fall day and Christmas rolled into one baked good, they taste amazing fresh out of the oven or the next day, they are both a breakfast food and a dessert, need we go on? While these gooey, fluffy, hot warm pockets of cinnamon and sugar deliciousness aren’t at all difficult to make, we have some tips that will perfect the art of baking these rolls of happiness. Let’s get started!
Invest in a bowl scraper or bench knife to make sure you can roll your dough into a perfect rectangle. Not that we’re perfectionists, but we are big fans of getting the most out of our dough because that ultimately means baking more cinnamon rolls. Using one of these handy little tools means that you won’t end up throwing away any excess dough.
Use room temperature ingredients to keep your yeast happy. Yeast likes warm environments so it will activate just the way you want it to. Plus, ingredients at room temperature mix easier and more evenly.
As you roll your dough make sure you do so gently so you keep all the good stuff in there; if you roll your dough too tight, there’s a good chance your filling will come out and nobody wants that. Making sure your spiral is a gentle one will also ensure that your cinnamon rolls have plenty of room to expand and you’ll be left with perfectly round cinnamon rolls with every last bit of cinnamon sugar goodness.
When it comes to your dough, you’ll want to pay attention as you mix that you’re not over or under mixing, the goal is that your dough is tacky, but not sticky. And speaking of perfect dough, don’t get too generous with the flour. And don’t deprive your rolls of flour. We know, we know, it’s a delicate balance. Too much flour, however, will give you dry, tough cinnamon rolls, and not enough flour will give you dense and soggy rolls. We recommend gradually adding 1 TB and checking the dough after each addition.
To keep your cinnamon roll from coming apart in the oven, taper the very end of your dough roll and tuck it under your cinnamon roll. This way you’ll have nothin’ but perfect spirals coming out of the oven.
Fresh out of the oven cinnamon rolls have baked just long enough to set, so before handling them, allow them to cool for approximately 10 minutes. Yes, it will be the longest 10 minutes of your life, but, worth it.