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Soft and fluffy skillet cinnamon rolls are filled with classic cinnamon sugar and topped with homemade cream cheese icing. Sweet, buttery, and delicious. | aheadofthyme.com

Skillet Cinnamon Rolls


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 8 large rolls
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Soft and fluffy skillet cinnamon rolls are filled with classic cinnamon sugar and topped with homemade cream cheese icing. Sweet, buttery, and delicious.


Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 500 grams all-purpose flour (4 cups)
  • 6 grams instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
  • 3 grams salt (1/2 teaspoon)
  • 25 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cups)
  • 240 grams milk, at room temperature (1 cup)
  • 60 grams butter, softened at room temperature (1/4 cup)
  • 1 egg

For the cinnamon filling:

  • 60 grams butter, softened at room temperature (1/4 cup)
  • 50 grams sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 8 grams ground cinnamon (1 tablespoon)

For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (or more to taste)

Instructions

Prepare and proof the dough (first rise):

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.
  2. Add in milk, butter, and egg. Stir well with a spatula until no dry flour is visible. Make sure to scrape off any remaining flour off the sides of the bowl.
  3. Transfer the dough mixture onto a clean and dry surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it turns into a soft and smooth dough ball. Because of the high fat content (butter and milk) in this recipe, the dough is much softer to knead by hand. You can also knead the dough on medium speed in a stand mixer for 10 minutes until smooth.
  4. Transfer the dough back into the mixing bowl, lightly grease the dough ball with a little bit of oil and cover with a lid. Let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

Shape the cinnamon rolls (second rise):

  1. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle measuring about 18x12-inches.
  2. Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.
  4. Roll up the dough tightly into a log and pinch the end edges to seal.
  5. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the rolled log into 8-12 even pieces (depending on the size of your skillet or baking pan), about 2-inches thick. Arrange the rolls into a greased skillet.
  6. Cover the skillet with plastic cling wrap and let it rise (second rise) for 30-45 minutes or until the rolls almost double in size.
    • Optionally, you can let the rolls rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight and bake it the next morning in a preheated oven.

Bake the cinnamon rolls:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let the cinnamon rolls cool down for 10 minutes before icing or serving.

Make the cream cheese icing:

  1. Combine softened cream cheese, milk, honey, and icing sugar in a bowl and use a whisk or spoon to mix until smooth.
  2. Spread the cream cheese icing over the cinnamon rolls and serve.

Notes

Make ahead instructions: You can prepare these skillet cinnamon rolls up to a day in advance, following the recipe up until the second rise. Then, allow the rolls to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight and bake it the next day in a preheated oven for fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning.

How to store: To keep cinnamon buns fresh and moist, store them in an airtight container or covered in plastic cling wrap at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Wait until the cake has cooled down to room temperature before storing to avoid it from getting soggy. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to one week, but they will firm up.

How to freeze: Cinnamon rolls are also freezer-friendly! Wrap them tightly in plastic cling wrap and in an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to reheat: Enjoy cinnamon rolls at room temperature, or reheat them in a 300 F preheated oven or air fryer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

  • Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Desssert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American