Best Simnel Cinnamon Rolls Recipes

THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Whisk together the whole milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit 10 minutes to dissolve; you will see a few bubbles, but the mixture won't be foamy. Whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt in a small bowl.
• Add the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, milk powder and beaten eggs to the yeast and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Fit the bowl in place on the stand mixer and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together but is still slightly tough, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to high and add 10 tablespoons of the butter a tablespoon at a time (the dough will look broken after each addition, but it will eventually come together) and beat until the dough is smooth, elastic and very tacky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 12 minutes. (This may seem like a long time, but the texture of the bread improves with a long knead time.) Alternatively, knead the dough on a surface lightly dusted with bread flour, adding 1 tablespoon of butter at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until it has a buttery, yeasty smell and has doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes. (If your kitchen is warm, check it at 35 minutes. It should smell buttery and yeasty, and if it's doubled, it's done. If not, check again in 10 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, whisk together the dark brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl until no lumps of sugar remain. Smash in the remaining 12 tablespoons butter with a rubber spatula and stir until completely combined.
• Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a clean work surface and heavily dust with bread flour. Gently deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall back into the bowl, turning the bowl and repeating if needed. Place the dough on the paper. Roll the dough into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle, pushing the edges towards the center to make straight sides. Spread the brown sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Starting from a long end and using the parchment to help you, tightly roll the dough into a log, pressing the sides occasionally to keep them flush. Transfer to a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes to firm up the dough.
• Butter the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Cut the dough crosswise into 12 pieces and arrange them cut-side up in the pan in a uniform 3-by-4 grid. There will be about 1/4 inch between each roll and that's ok, the rolls will fill in the gaps as they proof and bake. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free area, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cinnamon rolls until golden brown on top and baked all the way through, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes before glazing.
• Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth and creamy, adding more cream if necessary to make a thick glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon rolls and serve warm.

CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Warm milk in a small pot over medium heat until it's warm to the touch but not yet simmering (110 degrees). Add 2 tablespoons sugar and the yeast, whisking to dissolve and break up any clumps. Let sit until it's slightly foamy and starting to bubble, about 2 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen after about 5 minutes, check the expiration date on the yeast; it might be dead.)
• Meanwhile, combine flour, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder and the salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly to combine.
• Add milk mixture, followed by the egg and, with a wooden spoon or the mixer on low, stir to combine, just to eliminate any obviously dry or wet spots. If using the mixer, you may need to scrape the dough off the paddle. Add melted butter and continue to stir until a shaggy lump of dough forms, again scraping down the paddle and helping things along with your hands if necessary to combine.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, or keep in the mixing bowl and change to the dough hook attachment. Knead dough until it's smooth, shiny and elastic, about 4 or 5 minutes. (You shouldn't have to add any more flour at this point, but if the dough seems especially sticky, give it a light dusting.)
• Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray or vegetable oil and place dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free area. (If it's cold outside, on top of the stove is generally a good bet, as long as the burners and oven aren't on.) Let sit until the dough has about doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Punch dough down to release any air that has built up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and chill the dough for at least an hour (and as long as overnight).
• Fill the dough and shape the rolls: Once dough is chilled (it should feel firm and no longer flimsy), turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to a 16 x 10-inch rectangle. The rolled dough will be about 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick.
• Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Brush surface of the dough with half of the melted butter and sprinkle brown sugar mixture in an even layer, patting to make sure it's sticking. Drizzle with remaining butter.
• Starting at the end closest to you (the long side of the dough), roll dough up into a tight coil, pressing lightly as you roll to make sure there are no gaps between the dough and the filling.
• Cut log into nine even pieces, about 1 3/4-inch thick. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and arrange dough in three rows of three pieces each, with the spiral facing upward and with space in between each piece. (At this point, the rolls can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight, if you'd like.)
• Cover rolls lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free area until the rolls have puffed (they won't quite double, but they will be noticeably fluffier and closer to touching) and spring back slightly when pressed with your finger, about 1 hour. (If you refrigerated the rolls overnight, this may take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.)
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place rolls in oven and bake until they are golden brown and fluffy and the sugar has started to bubble up around the edges, caramelizing on the sides of the buns, about 32 to 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: combine confectioners' sugar and milk and whisk until it is thick but can still be drizzled, like a thinner frosting. (If the glaze is still too thick, thin with more milk by the teaspoonful to get desired consistency.) Keep in mind the glaze is to be applied while buns are warm, and it will thin out upon contact, so it's best to err on the thicker side.
• Once rolls are out of the oven, drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze and let cool slightly in the pan before digging in.