Ella Brittain, CFNN Reporter

This week on Ell’s Kitchen, I felt adventurous and wanted to try something a little different and challenging. These cinnamon rolls were definitely challenging, but I learned a lot from making them. It is always good to branch out of your comfort zone every once in a while! The recipe, however, is quick and doesn’t require any eggs or yeast. There are also many ways to switch items in and out to fit to your needs. Let’s get on with this homemade cinnamon roll recipe! 

Tools

  • A round pan
  • Large bowl
  • Parchment Paper
  • Rolling Pin
  • Small bowl
  • Fork
  • Spatula
  • Whisk

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 ¼ cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon of baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter – cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup and 2 tablespoons of milk

Butter Layer

  • 3 tablespoons of melted butter

Cinnamon Filling

  • ½ cup of brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
  • Pumpkin Spice – optional

Icing

  • 1 ¼ cups of powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon of milk
  • Nutella – optional
  • Cream cheese – optional

Recipe

  1. In the large bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt. Next, add in the cubes of butter and use a fork to mix it in. Once the flour is grainy, add in the milk and combine to make the dough.
  2. Use your hands or a spatula to knead the dough until it forms a ball. You may need to add a little bit more flour or more milk to get the dough the right consistency. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the baking pan/dish with parchment paper.
  4. Take the dough out the refrigerator and put flour on a clean surface  and use your rolling pin to the dough into a rectangle with the thickness of your choice. 
  5. Pour the melted butter on the dough and spread evenly .
  6. In the small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. (This is when you could add the pumpkin spice.) Sprinkle the mixture on the melted butter layer.
  7. To roll the dough, start with the longer end and gently roll. (This was the challenging part for me) Use a knife to cut the cinnamon rolls. You should get 8-10 cinnamon rolls.
  8. Put the rolls in the lined pan and make sure that they aren’t too close together but not too far apart. Bake for 30-35 minutes until they are lightly browned. You could add any extra cinnamon on top during the baking process.
  9. To make the icing combine in the small bowl the powdered sugar, the softened butter, the vanilla extract and the milk. (This is when you could add in some cream cheese. You could also use less butter and sugar and use nutella instead.) Then spread it over the cinnamon rolls while they are warm. 

While this recipe has many steps, it is fun and is quicker than many other cinnamon roll recipes! Have fun with this recipe and make it your own! Starting next week, I will be using Instagram to share the recipes. I am Ella Brittain and this is Ell’s Kitchen!