Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with sweet spiced chai fillingtopped with a thick, luscious layer of cream cheese frosting.
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Rising time 2 hourshours
Total Time 3 hourshours25 minutesminutes
Servings 16servings
Calories 447kcal
Author Tristin Rieken
Ingredients
¼cupbuttermelted
2 ¼teaspoonactive dry yeastor 1 packet
1cupwhole milk
5tablespoonsgranulated sugardivided into 1 tablespoon and 4 tablespoon (¼ cup) portions
3 ¾cupsall-purpose flour
2largeeggsroom temperature
1cupheavy cream
1teaspoonfine salt
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Chai Butter Filling
½cupsalted butterroom temperature
1cupbrown sugardark brown preferred or light brown sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1teaspoonground cloves
1teaspoonorange zestoptional
½teaspoonground nutmeg
⅛teaspoonground cardamom
⅛teaspoon black pepper
pinchsalt
Cream Cheese Frosting
½cupcream cheese4 ounces, softened
½cupsalted butter4 ounces or 1 stick, softened
1 ½cupsconfectioners sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Warm milk slightly to 110-115 degrees and stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast. Allow mixture to sit until foamy which can take up to 10 minutes. When proofed add melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs and remaining ¼ cup sugar.
¼ cup butter, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, 1 cup whole milk, 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
Combine flour and salt in a large mixer bowl and slowly add wet ingredient mixture while stirring on low speed.
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt
Mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes then increase speed to medium and continue to beat until dough is smooth and soft and gathers on the paddle, about 7-10 minutes. Dough will be sticky. Cover and let rest 45 minutes to an hour, until doubled in size.
Meanwhile make chai spiced butter filling. Combine room temperature butter with brown sugar and spices and whip until light and fluffy.
½ cup salted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Roll dough into a large 16x24 inch rectangle. At this point dough should be very soft and smooth and easy to roll out.
Spread room temperature sweetened chai butter evenly leaving ¼ inch of space on one long edge and spreading all the way to the edge on the other 3.
Starting with the long filling covered edge, tightly roll into a large log. Carefully cut log in half so that it fits on a baking sheet and freeze until firm enough to cut into neat slices, about 5 minutes.
Once firm remove cinnamon roll logs from the freezer and slice each log in half using a sharp knife then cut each piece into thirds to make 12 giant fluffy cinnamon rolls.
Grease a large 9x13 baking dish, or whatever round, square or rectangle baking dishes you have available, and add cinnamon rolls with cut edges facing up. Cover loosely and all to rise until poofy, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And warm cream to just above room temperature, on the stovetop or in the microwave and pour over cinnamon rolls in the baking pan.
1 cup heavy cream
Bake cinnamon rolls 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the creamy caramel sauce bubbles around the sides.
Meanwhile make cinnamon roll icing. Combine room temperature cream cheese and butter and whip until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and salt and whip until combined. Then slowly add confectioners sugar while stirring to combine. Then whip until light and fluffy.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup cream cheese, ½ cup salted butter, 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
Remove cinnamon rolls from oven and immediately apply half the icing while still super warm. Allow cinnamon rolls to cool to room temperature and apply remaining cream cheese icing. Garnish with a pinch of cinnamon and/or cloves and serve.