10 Easy Ways To Elevate Your Cinnamon Rolls
National Cinnamon Roll Day is in October, but you really do not need a special day to enjoy these sweet, pillowy buns of joy. While cinnamon finds its roots as far back as 2,800 BCE in Asia, and cinnamon rolls have existed since their creation in Philadelphia in the 1700s, these treats did not begin to see widespread prominence until the 20th century. In recent decades, chains such as Swedish furniture stores Ikea and Cinnabon have made cinnamon rolls even more popular and decadent. Now, of course, it is hard to imagine life without them.
Cinnamon buns are not overly complicated at their base, though they can take patience to make. It begins with an enriched bread dough base, wrapped tightly with cinnamon sugar and sliced into neat rolls. Once baked, these buns are ooey, gooey, and oh-so-delicious. However, if you are going through the trouble of making them, whether from scratch or from a can, you may want to take them to the next level. Thankfully, it is easy to elevate any cinnamon roll to downright heavenly.
Add an extra egg yolk to the dough
When making cinnamon roll dough from scratch, one of the things that sets its dough apart from other yeasted bread doughs is the inclusion of eggs. Using an egg bread base makes the bread lighter and more tender and prevents it from developing a tough crust. So if you want to impress your friends with your moist and tender cinnamon rolls, an effortless way is to add in an extra egg yolk.
The egg yolk is the part of the egg that contains fat as well as protein. The fat adds moisture to the dough and gives it a lusciously rich texture. In addition, egg yolks act as an emulsifier, binding the liquid and fat to the dough. All of this will help you elevate your cinnamon rolls to a level that will taste as if they come straight from a bakery.
Use mashed potatoes in your dough
Potato bread has a long-standing tradition in baking. While it may seem odd to those who are not used to it, using mashed potatoes, potato flour, or potato flakes will allow you to create the cinnamon rolls of your dreams.
Potatoes will single-handedly give your cinnamon bun a velvety texture. And here's why: Potatoes are incredibly starchy. The more starch in bread, the softer and more tender the dough will be. Starch tends to hold onto liquid, which will help preserve moisture in the dough, creating pillowy cinnamon rolls, which as a bonus, will last longer on the counter.
Subbing in potatoes to your favorite cinnamon roll recipe is easy. First, start with perfectly smooth mashed potatoes; you do not want any lumps or pieces of skin. Next, add ¼ cup of potato per cup of flour, and reduce the liquid in the recipe by half. Finally, add liquid in as need be to achieve the desired texture.
Pour heavy cream on the dough
It is not every day that a "hack" seen on the internet actually works, but here we are. Brought to us by the good people of TikTok, our next trick to elevate your cinnamon rolls is one of the easiest things you can do. It adds just one step and can be used on homemade cinnamon rolls or the kind that comes pre-made in a pan.
Simply set up your cinnamon buns in your pan according to your instructions. Then, before you bake them, pour a healthy serving of heavy cream over the cinnamon buns, making sure there is an even layer in between the rolls before baking. The end result will be ultra-rich, decadent, and moist cinnamon buns, which, as this TikToker said, will leave you unable to make them any other way.
This hack works because it allows more fat and moisture to seep into the buns while they bake, so instead of drying out, they become moist. Then to top it all off, as the moisture soaks into the buns, what's left is a sweet milky syrup made up of the condensed fat and sugars from the cream. If that does not make your mouth water, nothing will.
Add extra cinnamon sugar on top
Another viral hack brought to the forefront by TikTok is to add more cinnamon sugar to your buns. This trick requires a little more work than simply pouring some heavy cream over your buns. However, it is a great way to elevate those store-bought cinnamon rolls, to give it a bakery or homemade flavor, and can be paired easily with the heavy cream trick.
What you do is melt a stick of butter. Then mix in brown sugar and cinnamon until a dark brown mixture is created. Pour this over your cinnamon buns and bake. Not only will this add additional cinnamon flavor and sweetness, but it will also add even more moisture and richness to the buns with the melted butter. If you are combining this hack with the heavy cream hack, you will likely need to add to your bake time. This TikTok recommends an additional 10-15 minutes to ensure the rolls bake all the way through.
Roll in some salty meats
Sweet and salty is one of the perfect flavor combinations. They hit every note, and as we know, bacon goes well with everything. So why not add bacon to create the perfect cinnamon rolls?
Luckily, it is easy to add some salty meat to your rolls. Simply make some bacon and crumble it to create bacon bits. Add this to the filling before rolling by sprinkling an even layer across the cinnamon sugar. Alternatively, if you are not ready to commit a whole pan, sprinkle your crumbled bacon on top of some of your rolls after frosting. We are sure you will never turn back.
If you want to take things even further, though, why not roll full strips of bacon into your cinnamon buns? This may take a little more effort if you have to unroll pre-made buns, but it can be done with homemade or store-bought dough. While the bacon is still pliable, quickly roll the strip into your dough, creating a cinnamon bacon roll. This will be a stand-out at any brunch party.
Add sprinkles or chocolate chips
A quick and easy way to add pizazz to any dish is to bring in sprinkles or chocolate chips. Seriously, nothing brings a party more and requires so little effort. You have a couple of options to incorporate either of these ingredients into your cinnamon rolls. The first method is if you are making the dough. In this case, you can add the sprinkles right in as you would in a birthday cake batter. This will give you colorful pieces throughout the whole pan of cinnamon bun goodness.
Your second option is also for making homemade rolls. Instead of, or in addition to, putting the sprinkles in the dough, you can sprinkle them on top of the cinnamon sugar before rolling the dough. This will also work with chocolate chips. The pieces will be held in place by the dough and give a chocolatey or colorful burst when bitten into.
Finally, the easiest way is simply to sprinkle them on top. This can be done for either chocolate chips or sprinkles after baking and frosting, as the frosting will help both adhere to the buns. It is quick and easy and will add some visual delight to the rolls.
Add fruit or nuts
While sprinkles and chocolate chips will add whimsy to your cinnamon buns, fruit or nuts will add a level of refinement to them. These flavors can be inserted at every step of the process. For instance, adding the zest of an orange to the dough during the final stages of dough mixing will bring a lovely fruitiness to the bun.
When it comes time to roll the cinnamon buns, the options are nearly endless. Thinly sliced fruits such as apples and peaches can be added to create fruity fillings. In addition, dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, or cherries can be put in for additional bursts of flavor. Finally, throw in some nuts either along with or instead of the fruit. Finely crushed pecans and walnuts taste delicious, as well as thinly sliced almonds, to give just a few ideas.
If you have already made your buns, it is not too late. Topping with crushed nuts or dried fruits will only act to elevate the buns and add to both the flavor and texture.
Play with the frosting
If you have cinnamon buns that are all baked and ready, do not worry, you still have time to elevate your buns to new heights. One of the easiest ways is to play with the frosting. Whether you are using the packet that came in a store-bought can of rolls or you are making your own, there are several variations you can choose from.
For example, if you have a store-bought frosting, try beating in sour cream or cream cheese to give a thicker, tangy edge to the frosting. Additionally, you can add things such as fruit jams, spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg, or the zest of orange. This latter is particularly good paired with chocolate chips.
If you are making your own frosting, you have even more room to play with flavor. You can top them with a chocolate frosting or brown sugar frosting in addition to any of the options for the packet that comes with premade dough. Again, you have the opportunity to get creative and let your personality come through.
Add caramel
There is no rule that says frosting is the only sauce you can use on cinnamon rolls. Caramel is a delicious and sticky decadence that can take your rolls up to the next level. You can use multiple techniques to add the robust and toasty notes of caramel to your cinnamon rolls.
The first way is to pour the caramel on the bottom of the pan before you put your buns in. Similar to the way that heavy cream creates a sticky syrup on the rolls, this will add a moist and sweet layer to the bottom of your cinnamon rolls. Why should the top have all the fun after all? Second, you can use caramel in the filling. Instead of just doing the traditional cinnamon sugar filling, mix some caramel or brown sugar in with the white sugar to bump up the flavor. Finally, once your buns are out of the oven, top them with caramel. You can either do this while they are warm and allow the caramel to soak in or do it after they cool and use the caramel instead of the more traditional frosting. Either way, you will get a sweet, unique roll.
Play with the shape
Just because we have all become complacent with the circular shape of cinnamon rolls does not mean that is the only option. In fact, there is a whole world of shapes out there to explore, which will take your cinnamon rolls from average to extraordinary. For instance, you can make a babka cut loaf, a braided pattern similar to a strudel, or a Swedish tea ring. All of these add a unique twist but will require cutting. However, you do not need to stop there.
If you already have cut cinnamon rolls, cut them in half and place the rounded edges of the now-semicircles together. This will create two butterfly wings and make a butterfly cinnamon bun. By rolling your cinnamon buns from both ends, you can create a double center. This is delicious, but why stop there? Carefully create a point in the middle and bring each side down to create a heart shape. If none of these options strikes your fancy, look online for some other options to create fun and elegant rolls.