Easy Cinnamon Rolls for the Pinoy Kitchen

I've always loved Cinnabon but they've become expensive through the years. Naalala ko noon, grade 6 or high school ata ako, nasa 300 lang ang isang box of 9 pcs ng minibons. And now they're selling for 500 Pesos per 9 pc. box. So one time, my friend Momma Lee baked some of her cookies and breads, and I got inspired to try it out for myself. That was 2015.

What are Cinnamon Rolls?

Light, fluffy bread spirals with cinnamon, butter and melted sugar in between. Then it's topped with a sugar icing, or cream cheese frosting depending on your preference. In Cinnabon, they have a couple more toppings to choose from, and after this basic recipe you can tweak things some more for your preference.

Anyway, fast forward to today, I've baked these and made a couple of tweaks along the way. Before, I did it in a toaster oven, but for best results, bake them in a conventional oven.

My 2nd try at cinnamon rolls, circa 2015. Used a TOASTER OVEN for these.

If you want to try them out, here's the recipe:

Easy Cinnamon Rolls for the Pinoy Kitchen 

Another thing I noticed is iba ang quality ng ingredients sa ibang bansa at sa Philippines. This recipe is specific to our quality of ingredients and the humidity of the kitchen. And this recipe only calls for an optional hand mixer, no need for dough hooks and special machines cause we're kneading by hand. And since not all of us have air conditioned kitchen unlike the ones we see in youtube channels, best time to do this is around 3-4 pm in the afternoon, where it is not too hot or not too cold.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 cups of milk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 and 1/4th teaspoon of instant yeast 
• 1/2 cup of melted UNSALTED butter (120g or 1 stick). You can't use margarine, I tried, it does not work as good.
• 5 cups of BREAD flour, SIFTED. Flour is portioned into 4 cups and 3/4th cup, and another 1/4 for dusting your kneading surface. You can use all purpose flour but you have to lengthen the "proofing time" from 1 hour to 1 hour and 40 minutes and knead the dough for longer.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling:

•  3/4 cup of softened butter
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder

Icing:

For Cream Cheese Icing:

• 4 Ounces or 75g estimate of cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Optional:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of calamansi juice extract

For regular Sugar Icing:

•  1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons milk 

Preparing the Rolls:

• In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, melted butter, and granulated sugar. The mixture should be just warm to the touch, not hot.. If it is hotter, allow to cool slightly. 
• Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the warm mixture and let set for 10 minutes or until it blooms.
• Add 4 cups of all-purpose flour to the milk mixture and mix with a big ladle or spoon until just combined. 



After 1 hour and 30 mins of rising




• Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.You can use the inside of your microwave oven or your conventional oven turned on.
•  For less kneading time, allow to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
•  If you're using all purpose flour, allow to rise for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
• Prepare the Filling:  In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Mix well, then set aside. 
• After 1 hour, the dough should have nearly doubled in size. Remove the towel and add an additional ¾ cup of flour, and the baking powder. Stir well, then turn out onto a well-floured surface. 
• Knead the dough lightly, adding additional flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface.  You will spend a minimum of 10 minutes for this. 
• If you're not sure, you can try the windowpane test to see if it is ready, or the dough should be very smooth and spring back when poked. 
• It is supposed to be a "wet" dough, so it's alright that it has moisture in it. The main point is that it should not be sticking to your hands as much.
• Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½-inch thick. Fix corners to make sure they are sharp and even. 
•  Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
• Starting from one short end, roll up the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down. 
• Mark your log in half with the back of a knife, and then half of that, until you get even pieces.
• Use unflavored dental floss, or some cooking twine or string, to cut your log into even pieces. 



• Place the pieces in a buttered baking pan, or put in some wax paper to your baking pan. You can also use parchment paper in place of these, provided that you trim the paper accodringly so you won't burn it inside the oven.
•  Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 35-45 minutes, until expanded by about half of their original volume. 
• If you’re saving the cinnamon rolls for later, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up 3 months.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). If you're using a toaster oven, use one that has a temperature setting and bake for around 20-25 minutes.
• Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

To bake using TOASTER OVEN:
If your toaster oven has an estimated temperature setting option, and put it in "toast" mode, for 180˚C, for 10 minuites, TWICE or until they're cooked.

If your toaster does not have an estimated temperature setting, you can put it in toast mode for 15 minutes, and add another 5 or 10 minutes until they're cooked. 

Put them in 4 or 3 pieces at a time to cook evenly. You have to keep a very close eye on them, cause they burn really easy. 

Make your Cream Cheese Icing:
Mix your cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk on medium speed on a hand mixer. You can also mix and whisk this by hand. 

OPTIONAL Steps and TIPS for ICING:
Add in vanilla extract and a few drops of calamansi juice for a slight tang and more flavor. If you don't have powdered sugar, you can still mix in regular granulated sugar but it will have a grainy feel. Or add in a few tablespoons of honey


Hope this helps! What recipe would you like me to show you next? Comment them all below <3
Happy baking!