After looking through “Torianna’s Corner”, I noticed something, and it was that “something” which helped me decide to make a change here at “the Corner”.
If you’ve been a reader here at “Torianna’s Corner” for a while, I’m sure you know that I began my “Tasty Tuesdays” series of posts back in February 2023, and that I’ve featured a variety of recipes: some favorites from my cookbooks, some that featured Dutch food, others that featured recipes from a collection that my Auntie Pat graciously gave me, and still others that I gleaned from various sites online.
In the beginning, my goal was to feature a “Tasty Tuesdays” recipe every Tuesday of each month. Well… I’m sad to say that I haven’t able to accomplish that goal very often throughout the years. Sure there were months when I WAS able to publish “Tasty Tuesdays” posts every single week, but those months started to become few and far between — often going months between such posts. So… I have decided to cut back on my goal of weekly “Tasty Tuesdays” posts and change to a single “Tasty Tuesdays” post each month — possibly on the third Tuesday of each month.
While perusing “Torianna’s Corner”, I noticed something else that I have been doing (on a not-too-regular basis) since my third “Tasty Tuesdays” post ever: sharing not one, but TWO recipes in a post and calling those posts “twofers”. As a way to make up (sort of) for not publishing my “Tasty Tuesdays” posts every week, all of my once-a-month “Tasty Tuesdays” posts will now be “twofers” — TWO recipes instead of just one!
In this — the first official — “twofer”, we are going to be delving into the delicious world of CINNAMON ROLLS. If you’ve ever savored a Cinnabon cinnamon roll, you’ll know that they are yummy confections with sugar and spices (namely cinnamon) rolled into a yeast dough, sliced, baked, and generously slathered with frosting!
When I was looking for a couple of recipes for our first official “twofer” post, I perused the “national days” Web site, where I discovered that February 3rd was “National Carrot Cake Day”, so I went in search of a carrot cake recipe to feature. I found one at www.katiebirdbakes.com (I just LOVE the name of this Web site!), but I also found one that intrigued me: “Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls”. Now, I wasn’t always a fan of carrot cake, but I have to say that Sweet Thing’s mama baked a wickedly good carrot cake. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get her recipe before she passed away, but enjoying her carrot cake made me want to give carrot cake another try — AND feature my attempt at making one in a “Tasty Tuesdays” post.
However, on this same Web site, I discovered something that REALLY intrigued me: Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls, which, as KatieBird says, “combine the pillowy softness of cinnamon rolls with the spiced flavors of carrot cake, and the result is the most perfect spring pastry. So… Since carrot cake was on my mind, I thought I’d give this recipe a try.
At some point in my search for recipes to feature in these “Tasty Tuesdays Twofers”, I happened upon a cinnamon roll recipe that also intrigued me: No Knead 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls (from: www.cravinghomecooked.com). I love making homemade breads (and other things that contain yeast), but I’m never sure if my kneading skills are up to par. So… When I saw this “no knead” recipe, I knew I had to feature it as part of this cinnamon roll “twofer”.
And now, without further ado, here are the two recipes I’m featuring in this first official “Tasty Tuesdays Twofers” post, beginning with Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls, in honor of this month’s (early) “National Carrot Cake Day”:
“Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls combine the pillowy softness of cinnamon rolls with the warm spiced flavors of carrot cake, and the result is the most perfect spring pastry.
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls:
- 2 cups milk (I used whole milk, but full fat coconut milk works too)
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (from about 3 medium carrots — I use my food processor to grate them)
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided (see below)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- 1 cup brown sugar, not packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened
- 1 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
Directions
For the Cinnamon rolls:
- Combine the milk, oil, and sugar in a large pot and place over medium heat until just before boiling. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool until just warm to the touch, about 105-110 degrees F. (This is called scalding the milk, and we do this to denature the whey proteins and allow for better gluten development. Can you skip it and just use warm milk? Yes, but your dough may be stickier and you’ll have to chill it before rolling.)
- Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the milk mixture and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla, grated carrot, spices, and 4 cups of flour and stir with a wooded spoon until an evenly combined dough has formed.
- Cover and let sit on the stove (with the oven on if your kitchen is cold) to rise for about 1 hour. Check after 30 minutes to make sure it is rising. By the end of the hour, it should have doubled in size and smell yeasty.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour along with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir until completely combined. It should be a well-formed, stiff, non-sticky dough. If your dough seems too sticky to roll out, see the recipe notes below.
- Divide the dough in half and roll one half out on a floured surface to about a 12×18-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and spices.
- Spread half the melted butter evenly over the dough (you may not need it all), then sprinkle half the brown sugar mixture over top.
- Starting with the long edge farthest from you, roll the dough towards you, moving your fingers evenly back and forth along the dough, until it is tightly coiled with seam down. Cut into 8 even rolls with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, and place in a greased pie plate or 9-inch round cake pan.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the second half of the dough.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. While it is preheating, let the rolls rest on top of the oven for 15-20 minutes, until slightly risen. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown. Make the cream cheese icing while the rolls are baking.
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
- Whisk together cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until completely combined and smooth. Add vanilla and salt and whisk again. Whisk in powdered sugar until fully blended. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture reaches a pour-able, but still thick, consistency.
- Pour and spread the icing evenly over the warm cinnamon rolls in the pan, making sure the tops of the rolls are completely covered. Serve warm with coffee and watch people’s eyes light up with unadulterated joy!
Notes
Store any leftovers (not likely) in the fridge for up to 5 days, and simply microwave for 20-30 seconds to reheat.
IF YOUR DOUGH IS STICKY: Put it in the fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight before rolling it out. Make sure the surface you roll it on is WELL floured, and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough before rolling. Add flour to your rolling pin if it starts sticking to the dough.
MAKE AHEAD OVERNIGHT INSTRUCTIONS: These carrot cake cinnamon rolls can be prepared the night before through step 7 (shaping the rolls and placing in the pans). Cover pans with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, set pans out on the counter while the oven is preheating to allow rolls to come to room temperature, then bake as directed.
FREEZE THE BAKED ROLLS: Bake and iced rolls can be frozen, wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Simply microwave for 30 seconds or warm in a 250 degree F oven for 15 minutes to reheat.
FREEZE THE DOUGH: Shaped cinnamon roll dough can be frozen, well-wrapped in the pan or another container, for up to 3 months. Set out on counter for 2 hours before baking to allow to come to room temperature and complete their second rise. Bake as directed.
If you like, top with some toasted coconut. You can do this by toasting shredded unsweetened coconut on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes, until browned.
And there you have it, the first recipe in this month’s “Tasty Tuesdays Twofer”. Onto the second!
No Knead 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
These incredibly delicious Cinnamon Rolls can be in your hands in only 1 hour with NO KNEADING required! Topped with my fabulous cream cheese icing, these might be the best cinnamon rolls you’ll ever have!
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (or 1 package)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk, lukewarm
- 1/2 cup sugar, granulated
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (margarine can be used as well)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (margarine can be used as well)
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature (I recommend Philadelphia)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (margarine can be used as well)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the water with the instant yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, milk, sugar, and melted butter to the yeast mixture and whisk until well combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour with the salt. Pour the yeast mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until well combined. You should have a thick, sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. See notes for tips.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spray some cooking spray over the bottom, this will help the parchment paper stick to the baking pan.
- Roll the dough out onto a well-floured surface, until it’s approximately 16 inches long by 12 inches wide and about 1/4-inch in thickness.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar with the cinnamon.
- Spread the 1/2 cup of butter over the entire surface of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the surface of the dough.
- Starting at the long edge away from you, roll the dough down to the bottom edge. Cut the dough into 2-inch slices ore use floss. Place the rolls into the prepared baking pan, 3 x 4.
- Let the rolls rest for another 10 minutes, and you will notice that they will rise until there’s no more space between them.
- Place the baking ban in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese icing. Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and, again, mix until smooth. If the icing is a bit too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Ice the rolls immediately when they come out of the oven with the cream cheese icing.
NOTES:
- Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn’t expired. All your yeast products, whether its in a jar or a package, should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast — who knows if it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
- Active dry yeast can also be used in this recipe, but you may need more time to let the yeast activate and for the dough to rise. Please note that normally if you’re using instant yeast, you do not need to activate it in warm water with sugar, but I usually do this just to test out my yeast and make sure it’s still good.
- TIP: To speed up the dough rising process, heat your oven to 200 degrees F. Turn off the oven and place your dough as specified in step 4 in the oven with the door closed. This will ensure a warm environment for your dough and the dough will rise fairly quickly, assuming the yeast was good.
- To freeze unbaked rolls, complete everything up to and including step 8, then wrap the pan in two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for 8 hours up to 6 weeks. The night before you want to bake the rolls, thaw them out in the refrigerator, still wrapped. They will thaw overnight. Finish the rest of the steps to bake them.
And that is the second of this month’s “Tasty Tuesdays Twofers” recipe. Hope you give one — or both — of these cinnamon roll recipes a try and let me know what you think of ’em. By the way, if you have a different recipe for these yummy pastries, please share. I’d love to see your favorite recipe for cinnamon rolls. In the meantime…
Take care!