Sunday Heirlooms | Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls w/Cream Cheese Icing
Prep Time: 20 mins (+ 1 hour rising time) | Cook Time: 25 mins | Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
- 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 1/2 tsp of Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast (2 Packets)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
Filling (I honestly measure with my heart, but if you need a starting point read the below)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp of ground cardamom
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cinnamon Rolls
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt.
- In a heat-safe bowl, combine the water and butter (cut the butter into tablespoons). Heat in the microwave for 30-45 sec, until warm to the touch but not hot. The butter will not melt completely and that is ok.
- Pour into the dry ingredients with the egg and mix with a wooden spoon.
- Add in 2 more cups of flour and mix. It should turn pretty thick and sticky at this point.
- Add in 1/2 cup of flour and mix again. It should turn shaggy and become difficult to stir with the spoon. Once it is shaggy, set the spoon to the side and use your hands to mix and knead the dough.
- The dough will be sticky so add in another 1/4 cup of flour and continue to mix and knead by hand. It should then be soft and tacky.
- With a clean finger, press it into the dough to check if it's still sticky. If your finger is sticking, add another 1/4 cup of flour and continue knead. If it’s not then shape the dough it into a ball and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, the dough should have risen but not quite doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectanglular shape. Roll it into a 10×15 inch rectangle using a rolling pin.
- Add the filling: Spread the room temperature butter into a thin and even layer, leaving about 1/2 inch border all around the outside of the dough.
- Sprinkle with the brown sugar and spread it even with your hand, then top it with the cinnamon and cardamom.
- Use a pizza cutter or large knife to slice even vertical strips.
- Then working from bottom end of the dough, roll the strips up into individual rolls.
- Place the rolls in a buttered or greased 9×13 dish (or whatever dish you have). If the rolls are touching, that is ok.
- Place the dish in a warm spot and cover with a towel to rise for 1 hour. If its cold where you live, preheat the oven to the lowest temperature. Once preheated, turn the oven off and then place the rolls inside (This helps create a warm environment for the rolls to proof).
- Preheat the oven to 350F (first remove the rolls if you proofed them inside)
- Check on your rolls, they should by now have doubled in size and take up the entire dish.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. While they are cooling, prep the icing.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and use a fork to mash the two together. Make sure they’re both softened to room temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mash again with the fork. Once the mixture starts to loosen, switch to a whisk and mix until smooth.
- Spread onto the warm rolls and enjoy!