Description
This Cinnamon Roll Wreath recipe offers a festive and delicious twist on traditional cinnamon rolls, shaped into a beautiful wreath perfect for breakfast or holiday gatherings. Soft, buttery dough is filled with cinnamon sugar, rolled into connected spirals, baked until golden, and topped with a smooth vanilla icing.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (2 standard size packets)
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 and 1/2 cups (563g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands/work surface
Filling
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk
Instructions
- Make the dough: Heat the whole milk to about 95°F (35°C) using a microwave or stovetop. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (or use a handheld mixer or mix by hand). Whisk in the granulated sugar and instant yeast manually. Cover the bowl with a towel and let sit until the yeast becomes foamy, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. If the yeast does not foam, start over with fresh yeast. On low speed, add the softened butter pieces until slightly broken up but not fully mixed in. Next, add eggs one at a time followed by salt. Gradually add the flour on low speed, then increase to medium speed to form a soft dough. Finally, increase to medium-high speed and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 6 additional minutes. If mixing by hand, knead accordingly.
- Knead the dough: Continue kneading the dough using the mixer for another 5 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. If dough becomes sticky, add flour one teaspoon at a time to achieve a soft, slightly tacky consistency. After kneading, perform the windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough thinly and hold it to light—if light passes through without tearing, the dough is ready.
- First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, paper towel, or foil and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. A method to create a warm environment is placing the covered dough inside a turned-off oven preheated to 200°F (93°C).
- Shape the dough: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly flour it. Place the risen dough on the parchment and pat it into a smooth 10×20-inch rectangle with floured hands.
- Add the filling: Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the buttered dough. Roll the dough tightly lengthwise into a 20-inch log. Cut into 20 rolls about 1 inch wide, slicing only three-quarters through so the rolls remain connected at the bottom. Kitchen shears can be handy for cutting.
- Form the wreath: Twist each roll onto its side and slightly overlap the next, forming a connected circular wreath shape on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Place a ramekin in the center to help hold the shape.
- Second rise: Cover the wreath loosely with plastic wrap. Place a large flat baking sheet without edges under the wreath to allow easy transfer. Let the wreath rise in a warm place until puffy but not completely doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the cinnamon roll wreath for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before icing.
- Prepare icing and serve: Whisk confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together until smooth. Drizzle the icing evenly over the warmed wreath. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Overnight instructions: Prepare rolls through cutting and shaping (step 6), then refrigerate the wreath instead of allowing the second rise. Rest in fridge for up to 14 hours. Before baking, bring to room temperature and allow to rise for 1 hour until nearly doubled. Bake as directed.
- Freezing instructions: Freeze wreath after shaping but before the second rise. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, then rise 1.5–2 hours at room temperature before baking. Alternatively, par-bake for 10 minutes after second rise, cool completely, freeze, then thaw and finish baking. Fully baked wreaths can also be frozen and reheated covered with foil.
- Use kitchen shears for clean, controlled cuts when slicing the dough and shaping the wreath.
- Ensure milk temperature does not exceed 95°F to keep yeast active without killing it.
- Use a towel or foil to cover dough during rising to maintain humidity and prevent drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
