The Payoff

I love how the holidays, though sometimes hectic, encourage us to slow down and do a few things that would normally seem like too much work, like making cinnamon rolls from scratch, because the payoff, like the smells of sweet spice and brewing coffee wafting through the house on Christmas morning, is enough to fill every little pocket of the soul.

The process for making cinnamon rolls, like with a lot of yeast-risen things, can be a wee bit complicated and generally time-consuming (keep in mind the aforementioned payoff, people!). I wanted to do a test run of a cinnamon roll recipe now just to feel it out, and time to practice will be limited in the coming days. Keeping in mind that cinnamon rolls are best eaten fresh, just moments after emerging from the oven, I knew an entire batch of warm cinnamon rolls oozing with glossy icing, taunting us from the kitchen counter, would be crazy bait in our house. So it's a bonus that this recipe is perfect for making a day ahead or freezing portions for a longer term. After the rolls are sliced, just wrap them tightly and stick them in the fridge or freezer and in the morning or whenever the urge hits, take a few out to come to room temperature and do their final rise on the counter for two hours or so, then bake and glaze as usual. Brilliant!

If you have a standing mixer, this recipe is a breeze using the dough hook. If you don't have a standing mixer, simply do the majority of the recipe by hand with a wooden spoon, and then when you'd normally switch to the dough hook with a mixer, just turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until the dough is soft and smooth. Even though I adore my standing mixer and began to use it for this recipe, I know the kneading by hand works because, well, I managed to bust an ordinarily indestructible KitchenAid mixer during the making of this recipe. Oh, yeah.

Okay, so the tragedy involved the collision of a metal measuring cup and the rotating thing on the mixer that holds the attachments. While I was mindlessly attempting to dump in a cup of flour and look at the recipe at the same time. Both competitors fought a violent fight, with lots of grinding and snapping and squealing, and in the end, believe it or not, the measuring cup won. Big time. And so, now we know, that in the event of a nuclear war, we will be left with cockroaches, Cher and a set of Williams-Sonoma measuring cups. Thankfully, I was within my warranty, and the good people at KitchenAid seemed to be so appalled that a measuring cup could take down their flagship product, they have offered to send me a brand new mixer. Which is on backorder. For 2-3 weeks. During peak holiday baking time! Pout.

Anyway, these cinnamon rolls are a dream to work with and even more dreamy to eat. They call to mind everything we love about a certain shopping-mall indulgence, in terms of spice and tenderness and a generous swipe of icing, but none of the greasiness and cloying sweetness. You can enjoy one on Christmas morning (or anytime, really) with a nice cup of coffee without feeling like you might go into insulin shock or have to take a breather during eating in order to eat the whole thing. The addition of butter and egg yolks in the dough give the rolls a lovely richness that makes butter in the filling unnecessary, so the cinnamon flavor comes out loud and clear.

I liked the drippy, not-too-sweet cream cheese glaze that accompanies this recipe, but kind of actually missed the thick, almost buttercream-like frosting that comes with commercially made cinnamon rolls and will might make a few changes for the icing the next time I summon a few of the rolls from my freezer. This is the first time I've even remotely disagreed with a recipe from Baking Illustrated. I hope Christopher Kimball comes to find me and grounds me. I really, really hope so.

Glazed Cinnamon RollsAdapted from Baking Illustrated Makes 12 When cutting the rolls, try quick snips with kitchen scissors, or even better, fishing line or unflavored dental floss, to make clean cuts and avoid smashing their pretty cinnamon swirls.For the dough: 1/2 cup milk 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees) 1 envelope instant yeast 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 large egg yolks 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 4-4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for dustingFor the filling: 3/4 cup light brown sugar 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt For the icing: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool 2 tablespoons corn syrup 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt For the dough, begin by heating the milk and butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave until the butter is just melted and the mixture reaches 100 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 45-60 seconds. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, mix together the warm water, yeast, sugar, whole egg and egg yolks. Add the salt, warm milk mixture and 2 cups of the flour and mix until well-blended. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, and if using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and knead at medium speed until the dough is smooth and freely clears the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball (if making the dough by hand, stir in the remaining two cups of flour and when the mixture is well-blended, scrape the wet dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is soft and smooth, then shape into a ball). Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise until it has doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. For the icing, combine all the ingredients and beat with a whip attachment in a standing mixer or with an electric hand mixer until smooth and free of lumps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the rolls are ready to be glazed. When the dough has risen, punch it down and then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a 12x16" rectangle, with a long side facing you. Combine the filling ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the long end away from you. Begin rolling the dough into a log with your fingertips beginning at the long edge closest to you, pinching the dough as you roll it tightly. When you reach the end, moisten the edge of the dough with wet fingertips and finish the roll, sealing the edge. Cut the roll in into twelve rolls and place them in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until double in bulk once again, about 2 more hours. Bake the cinnamon rolls at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until they are golden brown and the centers register at 185 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Let the rolls cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then ice generously with the cream cheese icing.