Quick Cinnamon Rolls With A Twist

“You’ve never had a cinnamon roll? You haven’t lived. Come on, Boss! We gotta get that sorted.”

Christi Smither

Hey, Lovelies,
Earlier this year, when I was in Arizona with Christi she introduced me to the joy of a cinnamon roll with my morning coffee.

Oh my! How good that was.

When I came back to Australia I couldn’t find anything close to that deliciousness. Oh well, I decided to make my own! I baked a few batches of this recipe before Ben asked me to make a tweak. He loves coffee scrolls – a sweet yeasted bread scroll with apple and walnut filling and a drizzle of coffee glaze. So I combined the two and came up with this cinnamon roll filled with extra apple and walnut and then coffee glazed. And they are SO GOOD. Sweet, soft, fluffy, gooey and yum. Quick too. You can make these in an hour. It’s the perfect treat for our Coffee and Pastry Sundays.

Thanks so much, Christi, for introducing me to this American institution. It’s already become a firm favourite in our household.

Happy baking! Lots of love, Nicole xx

Ingredients

Dough

• 2¾ cups plain or bread makers flour
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 egg
• 2¼ tsp instant dried yeast (or one packet)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup warm water
• ¼ c. whole milk

Filling

• 2/3 cup soft brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup of chopped tinned pie apple or cooked diced apple, drained
• 1 cup of walnuts, chopped

Glaze

• 1.5 cups soft icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 tablespoon soft butter
• 1 tablespoon espresso coffee or 1 teaspoon of instant coffee in a tablespoon of boiling water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of milk (you can use a little more if glaze is too thick)

Note – for a traditional cinnamon roll omit apple and walnuts from filling, and the coffee from the glaze.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 100 degrees Celcius or 200 degrees Fahrenheit. (Yes, this is low. Trust me, okay?)

2. If using a bread maker add the warm water and sugar to the baking pan, mix together and test temperature to make sure it is only slightly warm and then add yeast and let bloom for 5 minutes. Then add butter, egg and milk, and then all dry ingredients and select dough setting. Remove from bread maker after the mixture has come together in a ball and been kneaded for five minutes.

2. If making by hand follow the instructions above. Using a wooden spoon or your hands mix dough together and when it is well combined tip out onto a floured surface and knead for three to four minutes.

2. If using a stand mixer place the yeast, flour and salt into the mixing bowl using the flat beater or paddle. In a small saucepan combine the milk, butter, sugar and water and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat, stir well. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. When combined add the egg and then swap to a dough hook. Set on lowest setting and knead for four minutes.

3. Turn dough onto a large floured board or clean flat flour sprinkled bench. Or use baking paper or a silicone mat. Cover with a damp clean cloth or a beeswax wrap and let dough rest for five minutes. (This stops it drying out)

4. Roll out dough into a large rectangle approximately 40cm x 20cm

5. Combine the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Spread it over the bread dough and then sprinkle the walnuts and apple over the sugar mixture.

6. Roll up the dough firmly, starting at the long side.

7. Use a sharp or serrated knife to cut the roll into four equal pieces and then divide each quarter into three pieces to give twelve rolls.

8. Place the rolls into a buttered or baking paper lined 20cm x 30cm baking tray. Cover with a piece of aluminium foil pressed lightly over the top. Put the rolls in the preheated oven, close the door and then turn the oven off. Leave for 25 minutes to rise.

9. Remove rolls from the oven. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celcius or 375 Fahrenheit. When oven is hot bake for fifteen minutes or until just golden.

10. Remove from oven and allow to cool a little in the tray while you mix the glaze together. Spoon the glaze over the rolls and you are ready to serve. Enjoy!