Description
This overnight cinnamon roll recipe features a soft, tender dough enhanced by a tangzhong starter for extra fluffiness. The rolls are filled with a rich cinnamon-sugar mixture, brushed with butter, and baked to golden perfection. A creamy icing with vanilla bean paste tops these gooey, delicious cinnamon rolls, perfect for a special breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Tangzhong
- ½ cup whole milk (118ml)
- ¼ cup water (59ml)
- ¼ cup bread flour (35g)
Dough
- 4⅓ cups bread flour (574g), spooned and leveled, plus extra if the dough is sticky
- ¼ cup powdered milk (35g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (56g)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast (8g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (4g)
- 1¼ cups whole milk (290g), room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 additional large egg yolk, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons salted butter (84g), softened
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil (for coating the proofing bowl)
Filling
- ½ cup salted butter (113g), softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (215g), packed
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Topping
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Icing
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Prepare Tangzhong: Add ½ cup whole milk, ¼ cup water, and ¼ cup bread flour to a small saucepan and whisk over medium heat until smooth. Cook until thick and gelatinous, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Mix Dough Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 4⅓ cups bread flour, ¼ cup powdered milk, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon instant yeast, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add 1¼ cups whole milk, 2 large eggs, and 1 additional egg yolk to the dry ingredients and mix for 15 seconds.
- Add Butter and Tangzhong: Mix in 6 tablespoons softened salted butter and the cooled tangzhong until the dough is sticky and well combined.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough and let it rest in the bowl for 20 minutes.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough at medium-high speed (speed 6 on a stand mixer) for about 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and tacky but not sticky. Avoid adding extra flour.
- First Proof: Coat a large clean bowl with 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour in warmth or up to 90 minutes in cooler conditions.
- Shape the Dough: Punch down the dough, transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape it into a rectangle, and roll out into a 16x18-inch rectangle.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Line a 12x17-inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
- Brush Filling Butter: Partially melt ½ cup salted butter for 15 seconds; stir and brush it over the dough evenly, creating a creamy paste-like layer.
- Mix Filling: Stir together 1 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons corn starch, and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon until combined.
- Apply Filling: Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the brushed butter, leaving a ½ to 1-inch border at one shorter end. Use a rolling pin to press the sugar evenly into the dough.
- Cut and Roll: Cut the dough into 12 strips about 1⅓-inch wide from the shorter side. Roll each strip tightly starting from the sugared end, securing the seam with buttered dough end. Add extra butter if needed to seal.
- Arrange Rolls: Place rolls cut side down with spacing on the parchment-lined pan.
- Add Heavy Cream: Pour ¾ cup heavy cream evenly over the rolls before second proofing. This is optional.
- Second Proof: Cover rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately for 8 to 12 hours allowing a slow rise until puffy and touching.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Bake Rolls: Bake on the lowest rack for 28 minutes or until golden and the center registers 190ºF on an instant-read thermometer. Cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare Icing: Melt 2 tablespoons salted butter, then whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, and ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- Ice Rolls: Spread warm icing over the warm cinnamon rolls for gooey, rich topping.
Notes
- The tangzhong starter greatly improves dough softness and shelf life by pre-gelatinizing flour.
- Using room temperature eggs and milk helps yeast activate evenly and gives smoother dough.
- Partially melting softened butter for the filling allows easier brushing but keeps enough body to hold the filling in place.
- Proofing in the refrigerator overnight develops flavor and slows yeast activity for perfect texture and timing.
- Rolling the dough tightly ensures well-formed swirls and prevents filling leakage.
- The pouring of heavy cream before second proof is optional but makes rolls extra rich and tender.
- Check the internal temperature with a thermometer to avoid under or over baking.
- For extra gooey icing, increase the icing quantities by 1.5 times.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal from pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
