Dish-Dash-Dosh

Cinnamon Rolls

Rich brioche-style cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese glaze. Perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch treat.

breakfast baking make ahead

Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe uses a brioche-style dough for maximum richness.

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 250ml warm milk
  • 7g yeast
  • 50g sugar
  • 75g melted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 450g bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt

For the Filling

  • 100g softened butter
  • 150g brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the Glaze

  • 100g cream cheese
  • 50g butter
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

  1. Stir the sugar50g sugar and yeast7g yeast into the warm milk250ml warm milk (roughly 38°C). Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
  2. Add the melted butter75g melted butter, egg1 egg, salt, and flour. Mix until a dough forms, then knead for about 8–10 minutes (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook) until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
  4. Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a large rectangle (approx. 30cm x 45cm). Spread the softened butter100g softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon2 tbsp ground cinnamon-sugar50g sugar mixture.
  5. Roll the dough tightly starting from the long edge. Cut into 12 even rolls.

☘ Tip

Use unflavoured dental floss to “snip” the rolls for a clean cut without squashing the dough.

  1. Place rolls in a greased baking tin. Cover and let rise for another 30–45 minutes.

☘ Tip

If you want to bake these fresh for breakfast without the early wake-up call, you can do the second rise overnight in the fridge. Just take them out 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off.

  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C fan. Bake for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden brown.
  2. Whisk the glaze ingredients together until smooth. Spread over the rolls while they are still slightly warm so the frosting seeps into the spirals.

☘ Tip

The Golden Brown Test: Since every oven has its own “personality,” start checking the rolls at the 18-minute mark. You’re looking for a light golden color; if they get too dark, the outer rings can become a bit crusty rather than soft.

The Center Roll: The rolls in the middle of the tin usually take the longest to cook. If you aren’t sure if they’re done, you can gently peek between the spirals of the center roll with a knife—the dough should look set and “bready,” not damp or translucent.