Recipe ~ Cinnabombastic Cinnamon Rolls ~ A Cinnabon Copy, But Better (Bread Machine)

As always, if you just want the recipe, without the story behind it, click here.

Cinnabons are delicious! This is one of the great Truths of the Universe, and anyone who has had one of these food court confections knows it! 

 

That said, they are also expensive, you have to brave the mall to get one, and, lets face it, as delicious as they are, some of their flavour gets drowned out by the sugar content, which is a dang shame, because the rolls really should be the star of their own show. 

With that in mind, I set out to turn near perfection into doughy pillowy, yeasty rolls of completely perfect, cinnamony sweet, celestial proportion. 

 

First, I went searching for Cinnabon clone recipes, found the very best reviewed ones out there and followed directions, exactly. Next, I did some tweaks to combine elements of those, until I had as close to an exact replica of the real deal as possible. Then, it was time to get to the improvements. 

Now, if you happen to think the level of sugar and cinnamon in the OG Cinnabons are perfect, all you have to do is increase the sugar by about 1/3 in both the frosting and the rolls, and decrease the cinnamon by almost half in this recipe, and they will come out tasting like you went to the mall, but without the smell of desperation clinging to your soul like the holiday music they are already piping to in when it's barely October. But if the idea of a Cinnabon, only with less sweet and more cinnamon hits your sweet spot, then follow along exactly! 

Either way, now is a perfect time to make up a batch of 'em, because it's October, and that means it is finally cool enough to start using the oven again, without risking anyone dying of heat stroke.

Cinnabombastic Cinnamon Rolls

Equipment:

•  9"x13" or larger baking sheet

• Mixer 

• Bread machine 

Ingredients: 

DOUGH

• 1 Cup warm milk (About 100°F)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/3 Cup butter (melted)
• 4 1/2 Cups  flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp bread machine/rapid rise yeast

DOUGH FILLING MIXTURE:

• 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
• 2-3 Tbs ground cinnamon
• 1/3 Cup butter (softened)

FROSTING (Makes a LOT. I use about half this much for one batch rolls, but it's nice to have on hand for people who want to dip or drizzle more)

• 1/2 Cup cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 Cup butter (softened)
• 2/3 Cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions: 

• Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in order recommended by manufacturer, select dough cycle and press start.
• Once dough has doubled in size in the bread machine, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover with a towel, and let rest for about 10 minutes. 
• Meanwhile, mix filling ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl, and set aside.
• Roll dough into a 16x21(ish) inch rectangle (or oval if you're lazy..err.. I mean, time saving!). 
• Spread dough filling mixture over the whole thing. 
• Starting with long edge, roll up dough and cut into rolls, at least 1", up to 2" thick. 
• Arrange rolls, not quite touching, on a 9"x13" or larger, lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet/pan. 
• Cover with a towel and let rise until nearly doubled - about 30 minutes.
• While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 400°F. 
• Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown - about 15 minutes.
• While rolls are baking, use mixer to beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Notes: 

• Filling and icing can be refrigerated for a few weeks, frozen in the regular freezer for 3-6 months in an airtight container, or in the deep freezer (a 0°F or less) indefinitely. 

• Give refrigerated filling about 20 seconds in the microwave or thaw on counter for a couple hours. 

• If using icing right out of the refrigerator, put dollops on rolls as soon as they come out of the oven and spread when soft enough 

• You can also serve rolls with condiment cups of microwaved frosting, for dipping or drizzling.