Cinnamon Rolls by Bing

22 steps · 45 min total

1. 01

   Heat Milk Mixture

   Pour 4 cups of whole milk into a large cooking pot. Stir in 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of vegetable oil. Heat the mixture over a medium flame, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Be careful not to let it boil.
2. 02

   Cool Milk

   Set the mixture aside to cool until it's lukewarm, around 38 °C. You can test it with your finger; it should feel just mildly warm and comfortable to the touch, not hot.
3. 03

   Add Yeast

   Once the mixture is lukewarm, sprinkle 16g (about 4½ teaspoons) of active dry yeast over the surface. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes; you should see it start to foam and 'poof up,' indicating the yeast is active.
4. 04

   First Dough Rise

   Stir in 8 cups of plain flour, mixing just until combined. Try not to overmix the dough at this stage.

   Cover the bowl with a table cloth and set it aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

5. 05

   Punch Down Dough

   After 1 hour, the dough should have roughly doubled in size. Gently punch it down to release the air.
6. 06

   Second Dough Rise

   Add the remaining 1 cup of flour, along with 1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder, 1 scant teaspoon of baking soda, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix until everything is incorporated.

   Cover the dough again. You have two options for the second rise: either let it rise in a warm place for another 1 hour, or cover it and refrigerate for 3 hours for a slower rise.

7. 07

   Chill Dough (Optional)

   If you opt for the refrigerated rise, the dough will be colder and firmer, which can make it a bit easier to handle when you're ready to roll it out.
8. 08

   Knead Dough

   Once the dough has risen again, punch it down. Lightly flour your work surface, then knead the dough for a few moments before transferring it to the floured table.
9. 09

   Chill Wet Dough

   If the dough feels too wet to work with, pop it back into the fridge for a short chill; this will help firm it up.
10. 10

    Roll and Divide Dough

    Flour your rolling pin and roll the dough out into a large, long rectangle. Then, cut the dough in half lengthwise, creating two long pieces.
11. 11

    Butter the Dough

    Pour 2 cups of melted butter over the rolled-out dough. If your dough feels very wet, you can hold back some of the butter and pour it over the rolls later, once they're in the pan. However, incorporating all the butter now ensures the flavor soaks right into the dough.

    Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly across the dough surface.

12. 12

    Add Filling

    Sprinkle ¼ cup of ground cinnamon over the buttered dough, followed by 1 cup of caster sugar. Then, scatter 1 cup of brown sugar over the top; since brown sugar can be clumpy, using your fingers helps distribute it evenly.
13. 13

    Add Pecans

    Chop enough pecan nuts to yield about 2 cups, then sprinkle them evenly over the sugared dough.
14. 14

    Roll and Slice

    Roll the dough up lengthwise into a long log. If the dough is proving difficult to roll because it's too wet, dust your work surface and the dough lightly with flour. Once rolled, cut the log into 1-inch thick rolls.
15. 15

    Arrange Rolls

    Generously rub your baking pans or dishes with more melted butter. Arrange the cinnamon rolls comfortably in each pan, leaving plenty of space between them, as they will expand significantly during baking.

    If you held back any melted butter from earlier, pour the remaining amount over the rolls now.

16. 16

    Final Rise

    Set the pans aside for 1 hour to allow the rolls to rise again. If your kitchen is drafty, cover the pans with table cloths.
17. 17

    Bake Rolls

    Preheat your oven to 180 °C. Once hot, pop the rolls into the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown.
18. 18

    Make Icing

    While the rolls are baking, start on the icing. Don't worry too much about exact proportions here; you're aiming for a gooey, pourable consistency, like a thick syrup.
19. 19

    Prepare Coffee Base

    Make ¼ cup of strong coffee using ¼ cup of water and one 3-in-1 coffee mix. Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey (maple syrup also works well).
20. 20

    Whisk Icing

    Add a pinch of salt, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, and 2 cups of icing sugar to the coffee mixture. Whisk everything together until smooth.
21. 21

    Finish Icing

    Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh cream until the icing reaches your desired pourable consistency.
22. 22

    Glaze Hot Rolls

    As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, pour the warm icing generously over them.