Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese
6 servings
35 minutes
Cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are a fragrant treat from American cuisine that has become a true baking classic. Their tender yeast dough is infused with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, creating a delightful blend of sweetness and spice. Fluffy rolls turn golden and airy after baking, while the mascarpone cream cheese topping adds creamy softness and a hint of tanginess. This delicacy is perfect for cozy breakfasts, leisurely tea times, or as a festive dessert. It is believed that cinnamon rolls first appeared in Scandinavia, but it was the Americans who made them iconic by adding cream cheese glaze. They embody comforting homemade baking, enticing with their warm aroma and delicate texture.
1
Make a starter for yeast dough: slightly warm the milk (up to a maximum of 40 degrees), add yeast, 6 tablespoons of sugar, and mix well. Then add flour until the consistency of pancake batter is reached and mix again. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot for half an hour. Take out 50 grams of butter from the refrigerator.
- Milk: 200 ml
- Fresh yeast: 20 g
- Sugar: 300 g
- Wheat flour: 500 g
- Butter: 150 g
2
Mix softened butter with an egg and a pinch of salt. When the mixture rises, add it to the dough and knead while gradually adding flour. Transfer the dough to a spacious container, cover with a towel, and leave in a warm place for at least an hour.
- Butter: 150 g
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
- Salt: pinch
- Wheat flour: 500 g
3
Divide the dough into two parts. Prepare a container for the pastries (a mold about 30 cm in diameter or 20x30 cm) and line the bottom with paper. Roll each half of the dough into a rectangle about 40x50 cm. Melt 100 grams of butter, spread half on the first sheet, then evenly sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and top with 1.5 tablespoons of cinnamon. Take the dough by the shorter edge and roll it into a log, flattening the ends on both sides. Divide the log into two parts, then each part into three more pieces. This will yield 6 pastries each about 6–7 cm tall.
- Butter: 150 g
- Sugar: 300 g
- Cinnamon: 3 tablespoons
4
Repeat with the second half of the dough. You will get 12 pastries. You can vary their number by cutting the rolls differently.
5
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
6
Arrange the pastries considering they will grow 1.5 to 2 times larger.
7
When the oven is heated, place the mold in the oven for 15-25 minutes until the rolls are golden brown. Never open it, or there is a risk that the dough will fall.
8
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce or glaze by mixing mascarpone with vanillin and the remaining sugar using a mixer, adding it gradually to make it sweet but not overly sweet. If it's too thick, add a little milk.
- Mascarpone cheese: 200 g
- Vanillin: pinch
- Sugar: 300 g
- Milk: 200 ml
9
After taking the pastries out of the oven, you can leave them in the mold or transfer them to another container without separating them: it's important that they are tightly packed together and there is space for the sauce to drain.
10
Brush the hot buns with 2/3 of the glaze, cover with a lid or towel, and let sit for half an hour for the cream to drip. Then brush the tops of the buns with the remaining cream.
- Mascarpone cheese: 200 g