90-Minute Cinnamon Rolls

Written By Andrea Hurley

Cinnamon Rolls Resting before baking.

I’m notorious for not following a recipe and or changing a recipe, and no one can replicate it. So while this is what I THINK I did for this recipe, just know that… sometimes, even with baking… You gotta put a little love into it and listen to your ancestors telling you what to do. When it comes to these 90-minute cinnamon rolls, my ancestors told me to put a whole lot more cinnamon and a tad bit more brown sugar (I’ve adjusted this to indicate ABOUT what I did, so you probably don’t need to do more, but might want to do less if you’re… cough… boring)

Dough Ingredients

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 package of instant yeast

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

Filling Ingredients

1-1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ground cinnamon (yes, it’s a lot)

1/4 cup butter (might need more)

1/2 cup Heavy Cream (for later)






Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Prepare the Dough

  1. In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup (or a bowl), add 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter. Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds to start, then 30-second intervals until the butter is melted and the milk is warm, not boiling.

  2. If it gets a little too hot, no biggie, just stir in 1/4 cup room-temp water to cool it down.

  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine:

    • 3 1/4 cups flour

    • 1 package instant yeast

    • 1/4 cup white sugar

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  4. Pour your warm milk/butter/water mix into the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough starts to form (or until your arm decides it’s done working).

  5. Lightly flour your counter, turn the dough out, and knead until it starts to smooth out and form a nice dough ball. It doesn’t have to be perfect yet, it’ll chill out while it rests.

  6. Knead aggressively for about 5 minutes (a great time to work out any frustrations).

  7. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with something. A lid, a clean towel, or even a t-shirt.

  8. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes (30–40 is even better). You’ll know it’s ready when it’s soft and easy to handle with little resistance.

Prepare the Filling

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, add 1/4 cup butter (the other half of your stick).

  2. Put the butter in the microwave and COVER it; if you don’t cover the butter, you will be cleaning the microwave later. Microwave for at least 2 minutes until bubbling and hot.

    • If you have patience, keep going until it’s brown butter for extra flavor. (Stovetop works too, but microwave is easier.)

  3. In another bowl, mix:

    • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar

    • 1/4 cup cinnamon (Yes, this is a lot. The original recipe said 1 Tbsp, but that would’ve been a crime imo.)

  4. Pour the hot butter into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Stir until it forms a paste that’s thick but not gluey.

Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls

  1. After your dough has rested for 30 minutes, flour your counter again and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick, aiming for a 12×18-inch rectangle. (Rolling pin optional, fingers work fine.)

  2. Spread your filling evenly over the dough, getting as close to the edges as possible.

  3. Roll up lengthwise so you get more rolls. Keep it tight. At the seam, stretch it slightly, dab with water, and press to seal so nothing escapes.

  4. Slice into 1-inch pieces. You should get about 15 rolls plus the two wonky end pieces.

  5. Place rolls in a lightly greased pan. Let them rise again for 10–15 minutes (longer if you want them extra fluffy).

  6. Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream evenly over the rolls; this is the secret to that soft, gooey center you dream of.

  7. Bake for 17–20 minutes, until the tops are golden.


Frosting

I hate cinnamon roll frosting, and if you don’t make good cinnamon rolls and need to put a frosting on to hide that it’s dry and doesn’t have enough cinnamon… just say that.

That all being said, I know people like the stupid frosting, so here’s what I did instead. I made whipped cream! Another good option would be to make a mascarpone whipped cream.


Whipped Cream

  • 16 oz heavy whipping cream (minus the 1/2 cup you used above)

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup white sugar (or to taste, I keep it slightly less sweet since the rolls are already loaded)

Whip until thick and airy, but stop before stiff peaks. Chill until serving. Also, this was too much, but like, it’s good in coffee, and on anything else you want, so enjoy for the rest of the week and have a good week!





Andrea Hurley