Cinnamon rolls have been a beloved treat for centuries. The sweet and spicy combination of cinnamon and sugar has been enjoyed by people worldwide for generations.
Brief History and Origin
The origins of the cinnamon roll can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where it was known as “kashta” or “sweet bread”. This bread was made with honey, spices, nuts, and dried fruit. It was believed that kashta was served on special occasions such as weddings or religious festivals.
In Medieval Europe, bakers began adding sugar and spices to the dough to make it sweeter and more flavorful. This was when the modern-day cinnamon roll began to take shape. By the 17th century, bakers in Sweden had perfected their recipe for kanelbullar (cinnamon buns). These were made with butter, sugar, cardamom, raisins, currants, lemon zest, nutmeg, and cinnamon!
Cinnamon Roll – The Recipe
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Total time: 1 hr 10 mins
- Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 300g self-rising flour
- 2 tbsp. white sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
- 70g melted butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 130ml milk
- Pinch of salt
For the filling
- 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
- 55g brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. caster sugar
- 40g melted butter
For the icing
- 60g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp. Softened cream cheese,
- ½ tbsp. softened butter
- ½ tsp. vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp. boiling water
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and preheat it to 160 degrees C. Also, prepare an 8″ cake tin with loose bottom by lining it with baking parchment.
- Add salt, cinnamon, sugar and flour
- in a large bowl, and mix well.
- Add egg yolks, butter and milk in another bowl, and whisk until all the ingredients are well combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk to make a soft dough.
- When the dough is ready, transfer it to a flour-dusted working surface and roll it out using a rolling pin into a 30 x 25 cm rectangle.
- In a bowl, add all the filling ingredients and mix well. Spread the filling mixture over the dough rectangle and spread evenly using a spatula, then roll up lengthways similar to a Swiss roll.
- Cut the roll into 8 equal slices and arrange it on the prepared tin. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
- When ready, remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes, then remove from tin.
- To prepare to ice, add the icing sugar in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add butter and cream cheese to the well, pour over boiling water and mix until you get a damp consistency. Now add vanilla essence and mix again.
- Drizzle the icing on top of the cinnamon roll and serve immediately.
Popular variations
Here are a few ways you can change this basic recipe to adjust it to your liking:
- Orange Cardamom Cinnamon Buns:Orange cardamom cinnamon rolls are light, zesty, and fragrant. It is a unique and sophisticated twist on the traditional recipe.
- Bourbon Butterscotch Cinnamon Rolls:Bourbon and butterscotch call for holiday festivity. Adding these flavours to the cinnamon rolls makes everything better!
- Pistachio, Orange, And Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls:The combination of pistachios, orange and dark chocolate is otherworldly. And in a cinnamon bun, it is utterly divine.
- Banana Cinnamon Rolls:Use the natural sweetness of bananas to make ultra-fluffy cinnamon rolls.
- Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls:If you love gingerbread, use it to make cinnamon rolls. It is an amazing recipe that combines the two-holiday favourites.
