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My tackle Amish cinnamon rolls yields pillowy gentle, unbelievably melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls that rival any you’ll discover a a farmer’s market. The key? A easy pantry staple that makes all of the distinction. Recipe features a how-to video!
The BEST Amish Cinnamon Rolls
I’ll be trustworthy, this recipe was by no means purported to make it onto the weblog. I began engaged on my “secret ingredient” cinnamon rolls a number of years in the past, and since I have already got a traditional cinnamon roll recipe, in a single day cinnamon rolls, a no-yeast cinnamon roll and… nicely, fairly a couple of extra, I hadn’t supposed on including one other model to the web site, and I’d deliberate on making it a cookbook unique.
Effectively, clearly, that didn’t occur. As soon as I lastly cracked the recipe for these Amish cinnamon rolls, they had been truthfully too good to not share instantly. They’re gentle and tender, insanely pillowy, lined with probably the most luscious cream cheese frosting, and made in conventional Amish fashion, which means we’re including mashed potatoes (sure, mashed potatoes, belief me!) to the dough.
Why This Recipe WORKS
- Amish-market perfecton, however at residence. Identical to the rolls from an Amish farmer’s market or bakery they’re large, buttery, ultra-soft, and topped with simply the correct quantity of icing (rather a lot!).
- Secret ingredient: mashed potatoes (sure, actually!). That is an quaint trick that’s utilized in many bread doughs like my potato buns or candy potato dinner rolls. The starches within the potato maintain onto moisture and yield a softer, extra tender crumb that stays gentle for days (not that these will final that lengthy…).
- Softened butter = higher rise and texture: Whereas melted butter works, it could additionally make the dough a bit heavier. Softened butter, added steadily, makes the dough extra tender and encourages the next rise (for fluffier rolls).
- Make-ahead and freezer pleasant! These rolls might be prepped the evening earlier than and baked within the morning; I embrace directions for this within the recipe notes. In addition they freeze nicely!
Elements
Let’s chat about a couple of of the important thing gamers earlier than we dive in.
- Bread flour. A better protein bread flour actually is finest for the perfect (suppose chewy) cinnamon roll texture, however all-purpose works in a pinch. You want no less than 4 cups, however have extra readily available as the quantity you’ll need so as to add will fluctuate relying in your kitchen.
- Energetic dry yeast. Ensure that your yeast is alive and lively (it must develop a foamy cap as soon as it’s combined with the nice and cozy liquid); if it’s not, the recipe gained’t work! You can attempt to make this recipe with prompt yeast, however I’ve discovered it doesn’t make an excessive amount of of a distinction time-wise.
- Mashed potato. Don’t use leftover mashed potatoes that had been made with butter, cream, and many others. You need plain, unseasoned potato, and it’s finest if it’s room temperature and even barely heat. I usually use a russet potato that I’ve microwaved (easy, detailed directions within the recipe notes beneath).
- Brown sugar & cinnamon. Common granulated sugar enriches and sweetens the dough, however for the filling I like mild brown sugar. When you solely have darkish brown, that may work too. Or, make your individual mild brown sugar utilizing the directions in my publish on the best way to make brown sugar.
- Cream cheese. Keep on with full-fat, block fashion cream cheese for the most effective outcomes. Utilizing low-fat or spreadable may end in a frosting that’s too runny.
As at all times, that is simply an outline of the elements I used and why. For the total recipe please scroll all the way down to the underside of the publish!
SAM’S TIP: Whereas I normally use melted butter in my selfmade cinnamon rolls, I’ve discovered that softened butter can truly make a very optimistic distinction. Whereas melted butter works (and nicely), the gradual addition helps with the gluten growth and makes for a crumb with greater carry, guaranteeing extra moist, fluffy, and gentle outcomes. We’ll type the dough first, add many of the flour, and get all that flour hydrated earlier than including the butter a tablespoon at a time.
The right way to Make Amish Cinnamon Rolls
- Step 1: Activate the yeast. The milk and water must be heat, however not too sizzling, purpose for 115F (stir earlier than temping!). Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar, stir every little thing collectively, and let it sit till you could have a pleasant foamy cap on the liquid. This could take 5-10 minutes, for those who’ve waited longer and there’s no activation, your yeast may be unhealthy (or perhaps you made the error I as soon as did and added a pinch of salt as a substitute of sugar — whoops!). Regardless, for those who don’t get the froth you’ll have to begin over.
- Step 2: Make the dough. Add the remaining sugar in addition to the mashed potato, eggs, salt, and simply 3 cups of the flour. Add softened butter a tablespoon at a time (helps encourage correct gluten growth and the softest, pillowiest outcomes), then steadily add further flour till the dough clings to itself.
- Step 3: Knead nicely. Precisely how lengthy this takes will fluctuate, but it surely’s usually 5-10 minutes and also you’re on the lookout for a easy, elastic dough; I prefer to run this one previous the the windowpane take a look at. Principally, for those who pinch off a big piece you possibly can gently stretch it to be skinny sufficient which you could see mild via it for those who maintain it as much as a lightweight supply. And talking of kneading… I choose a mixer since you don’t want so as to add as a lot flour (the dough can get a bit sticky when kneading by hand, requiring extra flour to be added), so the rolls normally find yourself softer and extra pillowy for those who use a stand mixer. However, let’s be actual, the Amish aren’t utilizing stand mixers so you possibly can definitely make these with out one. 😉
- Step 4: First rise. Switch the dough to a flippantly greased (I simply use olive oil, however any cooking oil works) bowl. Cowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a heat spot till doubled in dimension. That is normally a 1-2 hour look ahead to me.
- Step 5: Add the filling. Deflate the dough (one of the crucial satisfying moments of this complete course of), then roll it out right into a rectangle. Unfold softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a small border unbuttered. Sprinkle the filling, then roll the dough into a good log, pinching the ends collectively to make a seam (in any other case they arrive undone, completely deliberately illustrated in a few of these images).
- Step 6: Lower into rolls. Some folks use dental floss, some use a pointy knife, I like a serrated bread knife to softly and evenly noticed via the dough with out squishing it. Slice the dough into 12 even items, then prepare them right into a generously buttered 9×13″ pan (I choose glass or ceramic, steel will bake for much less time).
- Step 7: Second rise. Cowl and let the rolls rise once more till puffy and many of the gaps between them have been stuffed. In my kitchen that is usually fairly quick, about half an hour, so have your oven preheating within the meantime.
- Step 8: Bake & frost. Uncover the rolls and bake till the tops are simply beginning to flip mild golden brown, about half-hour. You’ll be able to frost the gorgeous a lot immediately for those who’d like, the icing will likely be extra skinny and shiny this manner, or for a thicker icing allow them to cool. When you don’t like cream cheese frosting, attempt my cream cheese-less traditional cinnamon roll icing, as a substitute.
SAM’S TIP: To make certain that they’re baked right through, I like to make use of a thermometer to examine the interior temperature of my rolls (search for 180-185F).
Steadily Requested Questions
Not solely are they big, Amish cinnamon rolls have a uniquely tender and moist texture not like another. They get this texture from mashed potatoes–extra on this beneath!
Mashed potatoes! Sounds bizarre, however the potatoes are what makes all of the distinction right here. Potato starch holds moisture higher, making the dough extra pillowy, tender, moist (not gummy!) and easy. The rolls are additionally taller consequently, making them look as unimaginable as they style!
Extra Penn-Dutch Recipes
If you’re a cinnamon roll lover, I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it! 💕
Enjoy!
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Cinnamon Rolls
For the rest of the dough
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Activate the yeast. Combine milk and water in a small microwave-safe bowl and warm to 115F (46C) (stir before checking the temperature).
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, ¼ cup (60 ml) water
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Pour warmed liquid into a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and sprinkle yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar into the warmed milk mixture. Stir to combine, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until yeast is foamy (if yeast doesn’t foam, the liquid may have been too hot or the yeast may be expired, you will need to start over).
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
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Make the dough. Add the sugar, mashed potato, eggs, salt, and about 3 cups (375g) of the flour. Stir until combined.
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (210 g) mashed russet potato, 2 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
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Add the butter. Add butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition and not adding the next until the first is fully incorporated.
6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
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Switch to the dough hook attachment if using a stand mixer and gradually add the remaining flour. Stir until dough starts to pull away from the bowl while mixing (note that you may not need all the flour, or you may need more than indicated. Dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not sticky)
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Knead the dough: If using your stand mixer: Knead with a dough hook attachment until dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).If kneading by hand: Transfer dough to a clean lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary (this will take about 10 minutes).
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First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl, transfer dough to bowl and turn all over to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours, will vary depending on the warmth of your kitchen). While the dough is rising, you can prepare your filling.
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Prepare the filling: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon table salt
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Butter should be soft enough to easily spread, if it’s not you can briefly microwave it to make it softer. Set aside.
4 Tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
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Lightly grease the sides and bottom of a 13×9” (33×23) baking dish, set aside.
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Assemble the rolls: Punch down your dough to deflate and transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 20×8” (50x20cm) rectangle.
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Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface, leaving a ½” (1.5cm) perimeter. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the surface, gently pressing into the butter.
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Roll into a log: Start with a longer end and roll the dough tightly into a log, then use your fingers to pinch a seam at the end (helps prevent unraveling). Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 even slices, then transfer the slices to prepared 13×9” (33x23cm) baking dish into four even rows of three, spacing rolls evenly.
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Second rise: Cover dish with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until puffed, about 30 minutes. While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 350F (175C).
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Bake. Once rolls have puffed, transfer to 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 27-30 minutes, until top begins to turn a very light golden brown and the internal temperature of a center, second-row cinnamon roll reaches 180-185F (84C).
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Make the icing: Combine cream cheese and butter in a medium-sized bowl and stir until smooth and creamy, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar until completely combined. Stir in vanilla extract and milk until creamy and fully combined.
2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 Tablespoon milk
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Allow cinnamon rolls to cool for at least several minutes in their pan before spreading icing over each roll (I add the frosting while they’re still warm, but it will be thicker if you allow the rolls to cool completely first). Enjoy!
Mashed potato
Mashed potatoes should be plain (no milk, salt, etc), unseasoned, and room temperature or slightly warm (not cold, it’s hard to incorporate them that way). I recommend baking a russet potato or two (I “bake” mine in the microwave – scrub, dry, pierce all over with a fork and microwave for 5 minutes, flip, and bake another 3-7 as needed until soft/tender all the way through when pierced with a fork), then scraping out the inside and mashing. Measure the potatoes after mashing.
Icing
If you don’t care for cream cheese, try my classic vanilla cinnamon roll icing instead.
Storing
Best enjoyed warm, so slightly reheat leftover rolls before serving (I heat mine in the microwave, 10-15 seconds). Otherwise, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Making in advance
Assemble the rolls in the baking dish (after the first rise and assembly), cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight and up to 18 hours. The next day, remove from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, until slightly puffed (preheat your oven to 350F/175C during this time), then bake as indicated
To freeze: Assemble the rolls, cover tightly, and freeze in the baking dish for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then allow to rise at room temperature until puffed before baking as indicated. Baked rolls may also be frozen (iced or not) for up to 2 months, thaw and warm before serving.
Serving: 1cinnamon roll | Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 474IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
