The Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever! Yes, Really! | RECIPE: Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Move over Cinnabon, there’s a new cinnamon roll in town. And it’s just as succulent, mouth-watering and decadent.

Now, I know the post title may reek of good old-fashioned hyperbole, but these cinnamon rolls really are great. I really haven’t craved Cinnabon cinnamon rolls ever since I started making these. They’re just that good. Which is why they are perfect for my inaugural blog post.

Who needs Cinnabon when you can make these right in the comfort of your home? The reason I keep referencing Cinnabon is that I actually think their rolls are a good darn model of what cinnamon rolls should be. I still remember the first time I sunk my teeth into a mound of Cinnabons. I was in sweet tooth heaven! Even before my taste buds could soak in all the goodness, the seemingly omnipresent aroma of the rolls made me weak in the knees. 

Well being me, the next step was to try to recreate all that and more in my own kitchen. My earlier attempts were not so successful. The resulting rolls were too dry, too tough, too sticky, too “bready” or just okay. I didn’t want just okay! And I certainly wasn’t reaching for those other unpalatable adjectives. 

I don’t even remember how I found this recipe. It was random and it was a classic case of stumbling upon a gem. In any case, this cinnamon roll recipe changed my life. I know, I know. Hyperbolic. But again, these rolls are just that good. I’ve lost count of how many times I have made these cinnamon rolls. I make them at least once a month. And since one batch of the recipe yields about 36 rolls, there have been weeks where I pretty much had at least one cinnamon roll per day. Though to be honest, I have a hard time restraining myself when it comes to sweet things; I’d finish all 36 in one day if my stomach would let me! GASP. Thank goodness I have a huge family and everyone loves these rolls. 

I recently revamped the original recipe as I found some steps took more time than necessary. It all begins with sprinkling some yeast over a bowl of warmed milk and letting that mixture sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast. The yeast should swell after sitting for this short time. 

Now you add some oil and sugar to the milk and yeast and stir to mix. 

Then comes the first batch of flour.

Stir.

Then add the baking powder, baking soda and salt. I think the baking powder and baking soda in addition to the yeast are the secret to the success of this recipe. They contribute to the perfect fluffy texture. Follow this with the rest of the flour.

Now you gotta use your hands and combine the whole thing.

Knead the dough for a few minutes and form a ball. 

Now comes the magic! Let the dough rise for an hour in a warm area, covering the bowl with some plastic wrap or a damp towel. And you’ll get this.

Tada! The power of yeast. The dough should now be about double in size. Deflate the risen dough and divide. It is easier to work with the divided dough. Divide into 4 portions if you want each portion to make about 9 rolls; divide into 3 if you want each to make 12 rolls. Either way it should work out to about 36 rolls for the whole recipe. I chose to divide into 4.

Form each of the portions into a nice ball. At this point, I place some of the dough balls individually in plastic bags and freeze them for a future craving.

Now the fun part. Using a rolling pin, flatten and roll out a ball of dough into a rectangle.

Brush the dough liberally with some melted butter and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over it, making sure to leave some space bare at the edge of the dough. This bare edge is important for sealing the log when you roll the dough up. Evenly distribute the blueberries over the cinnamon sugar-covered rectangle of dough (skip this step if you would like plain cinnamon rolls without blueberries or substitute the blueberries with anything else you’d like; the possibilities are almost endless). Roll the dough up to the bare edge. Brush the bare edge with some water.

Finish rolling up the dough and you’ll get a log of dough filled with buttery cinnamoney sugary goodness. 

Cut up the log into even smaller portions. As I mentioned, you can cut the log into 9 or 12. Or if you want the rolls to be thinner, you can cut them up into more than 12 pieces. Don’t be alarmed, the log will ooze of the aforementioned buttery cinnamoney sugary goodness. 

Place the cut up pieces into a baking pan, with the cut sides on the pan. And let rise a second time for about 30 minutes. After this second rise, bake the rolls and let the good kind of madness ensue. Your kitchen (and possibly your entire house) will be filled with the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon and your watering mouths will be stuffed with these awesome rolls!

The blueberries add a novel touch to these cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon has a way of accenting anything that it is paired with and blueberries are no exception. 

There you have it folks. Now go into the world and proselytize the goodness of these cinnamon rolls and make converts of the uninitiated. Go on.

RECIPE: Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Makes about 36 rolls

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

For dough:

• 4 cups (1 litre) milk, warmed to 110 °F
• 2 envelopes (4½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 cups plus 2 cups (or more) extra, separated, all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1 scant teaspoon baking soda
• 1 heaping tablespoon salt

For filling:

• 3 cups sugar
• 9 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ cups melted butter
• 3 cups blueberries

Directions

1. For the dough, pour the warmed milk in a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 5 minutes. Mix in the vegetable oil and sugar.
2. Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined then add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 2 cups (or more) flour. Stir thoroughly to combine and form a ball of dough.
3. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside to rise in a relatively warm place for 1 hour (the dough should roughly double in size). After the rise, divide the dough into 3 and use right away, or place in mixing bowls and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand) Also, you can freeze the dough for up to several weeks and thaw when needed.
4. To assemble the rolls, place one of the dough balls on a floured surface and roll the dough into a rectangle. The dough should be rolled thin.
5. For the filling, mix the sugar and cinnamon well in a small bowl. Brush ½ cup of the melted butter evenly over the surface of the dough making sure to leave some space bare at the edge of the dough for sealing. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the butter. Distribute 1 cup of the blueberries over the dough.
6. Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Using both hands and working slowly, be careful to keep the roll tight. When you reach the bare edge reserved for sealing, stop and brush the edge with some water. Finish rolling and pinch the seam together to seal. Flip the roll so that the seam is face down.
7. Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 2-inch slices. One log should produce about 12 rolls. Place the sliced rolls in a greased pan, being careful not to overcrowd.
8. Repeat the filling and rolling process with the other two portions of dough and more pans.
9. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for 30 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown. Serve.

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