Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

My favorite breakfast is sweet bread or pastry which goes well with a cup of coffee or tea, such as chocolate croissant, sweet Danish pastry, cinnamon rolls, or even toast with Nutella.

For today’s breakfast I baked cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are extra tender, as the dough is layered with cream cheese - similar technique where you layer butter and dough for croissants. Yes, the ‘technique’ requires time and effort… but it is really worthwhile!

Since it is hard to bake cinnamon rolls on the same day for breakfast (it takes time!), here is a tip to enjoy freshly baked cinnamon rolls although they have been baked the day before. First, freeze freshly baked cinnamon rolls after they cool completely. And later when you want to enjoy the cinnamon rolls, microwave the rolls for about one minute covered (if you don’t cover the rolls, it will dry out like a stone!), then bake the rolls, uncovered, in a toaster oven for less than a minute, just until the outside is crispy.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
(Yield: nine rolls / Cooking time: 5-6 hours*)
* Most of the time is proofing and baking time. Hands-on cooking time is about 30 minutes.

The following recipe is adopted and modified from King Arthur Flour Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns recipe.

Ingredients:

Dough
+ 3 cups all-purpose flour
+ 3/4 cup warm milk (~110°F/43°C)
+ 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
+ 1 stick(8 Tbsp) of unsalted butter, softened
+ 2¼ tsp instant yeast
+ 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
+ 3/4 tsp salt
+ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Fillings
+ 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
+ 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
+ 1 cup light brown sugar
+ 3 Tbsp ground cinnamon
+ 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
+ 8 oz cream whipped cheese, softened




Procedures:
1. Mix all the ingredients under "Dough" together. Knead the dough until it forms smooth and soft dough.


2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 1.5 hour until the dough doubles in size.


3. While the dough is proofing, mix light brown sugar, ground cinnamon and melted unsalted butter under "Fillings".


4-1. Dust a working space with enough flour, and roll the dough from #2 into a 14"x12" rectangle.
4-2. Then spread softened whipped cream cheese over the dough.
4-3. Fold 1/3 of the dough into the center and...
4-4. Fold the other end over the first folded dough, like you were folding a letter.


5-1. Roll the dough again into a 14"x12" rectangle, again.
5-2. Again, fold 1/3 of the dough into the center and...
5-3. Fold the other end over the first folded dough, again like you were folding letter.
5-4. Roll the dough again into a 18"x12" rectangle.


6. Spread cinnamon filling from #3 as evenly as possible over the rolled dough and sprinkle finely chopped walnuts and pecans.


7. Beginning with 18" long edge, roll the dough into a log.


8. Cut the log into 9 equal 2" thick slices with a bench knife.


9. Place a parchment paper on a baking sheet, and place the cinnamon roll slices from #8. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise again for an hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F(190°C).

10. Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown.


11. If you want to ice the cinnamon rolls, mix 1.5 Tbsp milk and 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, then drizzle over completely cooled cinnamon rolls.


Enjoy~