Tender bread dough is swirled with a layer of cinnamon and brown sugar to create these mouthwatering muffin tin cinnamon rolls.  The soft and slightly sweet dough melts together with the cinnamon filling for the perfect balance of flavors.  Vanilla icing completes the roll, making these adorable individual serving size treats the perfect item for breakfast or brunch. 

This recipe calls for 2 1/2 – 3 cups of flour, I measure the full amount of three cups into a bowl and use only as much as I need to form a nice ball.  I used just slightly more than 2 1/2 cups for this batch.  Depending on the temperature and the humidity in your kitchen you may not need all the flour.  I also use the remainder of the measured flour to dust the board, this way I am sure not to add more than the total amount listed in the recipe.  Remember sweet dough tends to be a little sticky.  Knead the dough only enough to form a smooth dough.  Overworking the dough and adding more flour will produce a tough bread.

Rising times are really just an estimate for any yeast dough.  Temperature will dramatically affect the rising time, so watch the dough more than the clock, when it is doubled in size it is ready to work.  Be gentle with your dough, using the palms of your hands to de-gas.  Do not poke with your fingers, no piano playing here, your fingers will tear the glutens in the dough.  The dough will roll easily if it is relaxed.  If the dough springs back when you attempt to roll, cover it with some plastic wrap for 10 minutes and try again.

Stretch the dough as you roll it to form a tight log.  Normally when making cinnamon rolls you do not do this, however in the case break the rules.  By stretching the dough it will force the centers to pop up during baking.  Once you have your roll formed, cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch slices.  Pushing up slightly on the bottom center of each slice as you place it in the muffin tin will help start the centers to pop up.

Remove the rolls from your muffin tin while they are still warm.  Run a knife around the edge of the roll if needed.  As the rolls cool the sugar will tend to stick to your pan even if it is non-stick.  Cool on a wire rack.  Ice the rolls while still slightly warm.

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Muffin Tin Cinnamon Rolls

Tender sweet dough forms these individual rolls that spring to life. Brown sugar and cinnamon swirl though these spirals of joy.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Rising time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Rolls

• 2 ½ - 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dry milk
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup warm water
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 teaspoon milk, enough for proper consistency

Instructions

Rolls

• In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour with the sugar, dried milk, yeast, and salt. Mix well.
• Add the warm water, butter, egg, and vanilla, stirring to combine.
• Slowly add four until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough, using only enough four to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the board. The dough should be soft and pliable, but not sticky.
• Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes.

Filling

• In a small bout mix the brown sugar and cinnamon to combine.

Assemble

• Position rack in the cent third of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently de-gas the dough with the palm of your hand, do not poke the dough with your fingers, that can tear the dough.
• Roll the (risen and ready to shape) dough out on a floured board into a rectangle about 12 x 14 inches (30 x 35 cm). Brush with water and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the dough, leaving a small border free of filling
• Roll up the dough from one of the rectangle's shorter sides, stretching the dough out slightly as you roll. Pinch the seam together well to close. Stretching the dough as you roll is opposite of how you would normally make cinnamon rolls, however in this case it will help the centers to spring up.
• Divide dough into 12 equal pieces, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Push the center of the roll slightly up from the bottom before and place in muffin tin. This will also help start the centers to pop up.
• Let the rolls rise until they doubled in size filling the muffin tin, about 20-30 minutes.
• Cover lightly with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap to prevent the rolls from forming a skin.
• Bake at 350F for 20 – 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
• Allow the rolls to stand in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly before icing.

Icing

• Mix powdered sugar with vanilla and a small amount of milk to start. Add more milk a few drops at a time until the icing is smooth and able to drizzle.
• Using a spoon or a piping bag, drizzle the icing over the still slightly warm rolls.
• Allow icing to dry before storing.

Notes

Work the least amount of flour you can into this dough, you don't have to use the entire amount. Put the total amount of flour in a separate bowl using flour from the bowl to dust the board. This makes sure you don't add too much flour. 

The less you work this dough the more tender it will be.

Rising times will vary by the temperature.  Watch for size more than time.

 

Dough recipe courtesy King Arthur Flour

Last weekend was the last weekend for the Cherry Creek farmers market here in Denver. The fact that the market was coming to a close had completely escaped me, as I have not attended this market as frequently as in years past. The event has become extremely popular, and is most often over-crowded with folks pushing baby strollers and walking dogs while talking on cell phones, paying no attention to anything or anyone, which for me takes some of the pleasure out of perusing the produce. However on this particularly beautiful fall day while out running errands, I found myself passing the tents and food trucks that fill the parking lot that turns into this carnival of fresh produce and gourmet treats. My sister happened to be in town and had joined me on my mission to run errands. As we passed the event, we noticed that the crowd was much smaller than usual. So on this glorious Colorado blue sky fall day, and with no particular schedule to keep, we decided to throw caution to the wind and stop.

As we strolled the festival we stopped, looked, and sampled at all kinds of wonders. Tables full of wonderful looking root vegetables, fresh picked apples, pumpkins, and squash. Beautiful hand crafted scarves, soaps and lotions. Jars full of pickled produce of all sorts, spice blends, sauces, dips, honey, and jams and jellies. We admired baskets of beautiful baked goods, and sampled many tasty treats. After deciding upon a plate of pierogi from the Polished Tavern, we felt as though we had seen enough and should be on our way. As we were walking to the car, we passed a vendor with some very interesting looking jams, so of course we just had to try one more. I landed on a Colorado Bourbon Cherry Deliciousness that was simply remarkable, while my sister felt the Absinthe Orange was the bomb. We thanked the nice woman and headed on our way. As we were walking, we discussed how interesting, unusual, and delicious the jams from the Red Camper Picnic Supply were. I mentioned how I would love to incorporate some of them in a recipe. So on a whim, we spun on our heels and went back to grab a jar, and I am so glad we did. On our way again, we discussed the many ways our new treasure could be enjoyed. Warmed and served over ice cream immediately came to mind, but since I love to bake, a pastry type item was also speaking to me.

I decided to try one of my favorite bread recipes for cinnamon rolls, using some of the jam for the filling. I added a few dried cranberries to the filling to bulk it up just a bit. The results were outstanding, and I can hardly wait to try another experiment.

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Bourbon Cherry Cinnamon Rolls

Tender flaky rolls with a berry filling.

Course Breads, Breakfast

Cuisine American, Holiday

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Rising time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 ¼ teaspoons of dry yeast one packet
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

Filling

• 8 ounces Bourbon Cherry jam or your choice
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or other depending on jam
• 2 Tablespoon cinnamon

Icing

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside to bloom.
• In a large bowl mix scalded milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs. Add two cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture and stir.
• Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place in well-greased bowl, in a warm location out of drafts and cover with a tea towel. Let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• When doubled, punch down dough.
• Roll out on flour surface into a 15×9 inch rectangle.
• Spread the dough with the jam stopping several inches away from one of the long edges in order to seal the roll. Evenly sprinkle the dried cranberries and cinnamon over the jam.
• Roll the dough into a log and pinch to seal.
• Spray a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
• Cut the log in to 1½ slices and evenly space them in the baking dish. Cover and allow to rise for another hour or until doubled in size.
• While the rolls are rising, heat your oven to 350° F.
• Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool.

Icing

• Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl, add the almond extract and only enough water to make a thin icing. Drizzle over the rolls with a spoon or piping bag, sprinkle with slivered almonds, and enjoy!

Notes

I used a bourbon cherry jam that I stumbled upon at a farmers market for this recipe, however you could certainly use any flavor to make these rolls.

It is hard to imagine a more delightful aroma in the kitchen than that of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Craisins, orange, and cinnamon combine to make this delightful treat. Simple to make, this recipe has become a new favorite in our house.

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Orange Craisin Cinnamon Rolls

It is hard to beat the aroma of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. These delicious rolls are made with dried cranberries and a hint of orange.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 packet yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

Filling

• 1/2 cup melted butter plus more for the pan
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup craisins or raisins
• ¼ cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

Glaze

• 4 Tablespoons butter melted
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-6 Tablespoons orange juice or water room temp
• ½ teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

Dough

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.
• In a large bowl mix scalded milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs.
• Add two cups of flour and mix until smooth.
• Add yeast mixture.
• Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes.
• Place in well-greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rise until doubled, usually 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
• When doubled, punch down dough.
• Roll out on flour surface into a 15×9 inch rectangle.

Filling

• Spread melted butter all over dough except for one inch down the long edge.
• Mix sugar and cinnamon and spread evenly over buttered area.
• Spread the dried fruit and nuts evenly over sugar and cinnamon.
• Beginning at 15 inch side roll up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12-15 slices.
• Coat bottom of baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake

• Position rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned.

Glaze

• Mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add hot water 1 Tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency.
• Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

Notes

Roll dough recipe from Paula Deen