Single Girl Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll
I created the Single Girl Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll for a few reasons. Mostly because I think it’s a fantastic idea; but honestly, it was definitely because I finally decided I needed to purchase the cutest little mini dutch oven from Target! I had no idea what I was going to be making in the dutch oven, but I just couldn’t leave the store without it! Thus, the Single Girl Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll was born!
Yes, I am a single girl (actually, perpetually so). And while I feel that it doesn’t define who I am, being perpetually single has become a huge part of me and has helped me to really know myself. I’ve grown to really love being by myself (tell me you’re an aquarius without telling me you’re an aquarius, amiright?!). Sometimes being alone means making plans for one, dining out for one, and also, cooking/baking for one. Sure, I could just make an entire batch of 12 cinnamon rolls if I’m craving them. Sometimes its super easy to find people to share them with. But sometimes, it’s not. The fresh warm rolls become not so fresh and warm, and they go waste!
With this recipe, you get one beautifully sized milk bread cinnamon roll. I know what you’re thinking; it’s too much work for just ONE cinnamon roll. But honestly, it’s not. It may take a little time and patience, but don’t all good things? Being single frees up your time a bit. I love the idea of slowing down and really putting your all into little projects. And if all projects were as yummy as this roll, I’d take ALL the time I needed!
What is Milk Bread
This single milk bread cinnamon roll is pretty much just an adjusted recipe from my original milk bread cinnamon rolls that makes a full batch of 12! It is so so delicious and both recipes use tangzhong. Tangzhong is very simply just flour and water cooked together until it becomes a bit of a paste. It’s added to the dough and this becomes milk bread. The result is fluffier, more tender, and much softer bread that stays that way for much longer than regular bread.
Not only is it absolutely simplistic, it takes barely any extra time at all to whip up and the results are always worth it!
What You’ll Need
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry Brush
- Mini dutch oven or 4 inch mini cake pan
- Pizza cutter/pastry wheel/or sharp knife
Ingredients for Single Girl Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll
- All purpose or bread flour
- Granulated sugar
- Instant Active Yeast
- Milk of choice
- Unsalted butter
- Light or dark brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Cream cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Pistachios (optional)
How to make Single Girl Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll
- Make the tangzhong by cooking water and flour together into a paste
- Make the dough by combining flour, sugar, yeast, milk, melted butter, and tangzhong. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Assemble: Roll out dough to about 10in x 7in rectangle. Brush melted butter all over it, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon on top evenly. Slice into 3 even strips and roll them all up together.
- Rise and bake: cover to let rise for about 45 minutes, until almost doubled in size. Bake for about 18 minutes.
- Make the glaze while the cinnamon roll is baking: whisk together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined. Spoon and spread over the cinnamon roll immediately after it comes out of the oven. ENJOY!
Single Girl Milk Bread Cinnamon Roll
Ever crave cinnamon rolls but you don't want to make an entire tray of them?! This is the perfect portion to satisfy all your ooey gooey fluffy cinnamon roll dreams!
Ingredients
for the tangzhong
- 10g (a little more than 1 tablespoon) all purpose or bread flour
- 44g (3 tablespoons) water
for the dough
- 1/2 c (64g) all purpose or bread flour
- 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (3g) instant active yeast
- 1 tablespoon (14g) milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- tangzhong from above
for the filling
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons (36g) light or dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
for the glaze
- 1 tablespoon (15g) cream cheese, at room temp
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3-4 tablespoons (about 25-30g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- crushed pistachios (optional)
Instructions
Make the tangzhong
- In a small saucepan, whisk together flour and water until combined. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool slightly
Prep the dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and yeast. Then add milk, melted butter, and tangzhong. Stir with a spoon to bring together into a shaggy dough.
- Then, using your hands, bring the dough together and knead with your hand in the bowl. Make sure to incorporate any dry flour around the bowl and really hydrate dry pieces of dough. The dough may feel quite sticky at this point, but don't be tempted to add more flour.
- Knead it in the bowl for a few minutes, then knead on a lightly floured surface. Dough should be tacky but not overly sticky. If too wet or sticky, incorporate very little flour at a time. If a little too dry, knead in half a teaspoon of milk.
- Knead dough for about 5-7 minutes until elastic and smooth. Place in lightly greased mini dutch oven (or a 4-5 inch cake pan), cover with lid or plastic wrap, and let rise for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
Assemble, Rise, and Bake
- Place dough on a non-floured surface and gently roll out to a rough rectangle shape, about 10in x 7in.
- Brush melted butter generously all over the top. combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top of the dough.
- With the short side of the rectangle facing you, using a pizza cutter or pastry wheel, slice into 3 long even strips. Roll the middle strip up, then place it at the end of another strip, and roll again. Repeat with the last strip until you have a single big cinnamon roll.
- Place in mini dutch oven and cover. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until just about doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, until cinnamon roll is just starting to brown on top.
Make the glaze
- While the cinnamon roll is baking, make the glaze: combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk vigorously until well combined. Glaze should be a thick but pourable consistency. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or a very small splash or milk or water to thin it out.
- Immediately after the cinnamon roll comes out of the oven, spoon the glaze on top of it. Optionally, sprinkle some crushed pistachios on top because it's delicious and we're fancy. Let cool slightly before enjoying!
Other recipes you’d enjoy!
Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Nutella Chocolate Chess Pie
Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Do you bake with the lid on or off?
Hello! Bake with lid OFF! The use of the mini dutch oven is pretty much purely aesthetic haha– I state that a regular 4-inch round pan could work as well 🙂
I’m concerned because 1/2 tsp does not = 3 grams per my scale. Since I’m using the gram measurements I will weigh out three grams.
Can you do the first rise overnight in the refrigerator?
Yes, you can definitely do an overnight rise! Remove from fridge in the morning and let it sit on the counter for at least 10-15 minutes to take the cool off a bit! 🙂
Could I use active dry yeast instead of instant? Would it just need longer to rise? Thanks!
Yes you can, but you’d just have to change it up a bit and let the active dry yeast bloom in warm water and a bit of sugar for 10 minutes