Based on King Arthur Baking and Smitten Kitchen recipes, this giant cinnamon roll can be made ahead, and is fun to shape.
Dough
3 ½ cups unbleached or all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
1 teaspoons salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk, whole, 2%, or buttermilk, slightly warmed. I have not experimented with non-dairy milks but expect they would work
2 large eggs, room temperature
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, but OK if it’s still cold, cut into small pieces
Filling
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Good pinch salt (or use salted butter)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Glaze
1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 tablespoons milk or water
Make the dough:
- Measure the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat the eggs and milk together, and make sure the mixture is only lukewarm, then pour into dry ingredients.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix until there’s almost no dry flour – about 30 seconds – then drop in the butter pieces a few at a time and mix until blended.
Knead on low-mdium speed for 5 minutes
At this point you have two choices of method:
- One: Transfer the dough into a plastic container with a lid that holds at least 2 quarts, and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to two days;
- Two: Let the dough rise at room temperature until it almost doubles – about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Then, refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Assemble the roll:
- Make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients either in a bowl, or the pan you used to melt the butter. It will look pretty runny, but will spread just fine on the chilled dough.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet, cake pan, or spring form pan, and line the bottom with parchment. Place the baking pan on the baking sheet.
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge, and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a 9 x13 inch rectangle. Spread half the filling in one piece of dough, and then stack the second piece on top.
- Cut the stacked dough into 6 strips, each about 1 ½ inches x 13 inches.
- Roll up one of the strips and place it in the center of the pan with the spiral up. Wrap another strip around the outside of the first roll, filling side in. Continue with the strip, wrapping the same way. Cut the last 3 strips in half and wrap them around the roll too.
If you did method two, so your dough has only risen about 3 hours, you can cover the roll, refrigerate overnight, and bake in the morning. For method one, let the dough rise at room temperature for about 45 minutes to an hour. Heat the oven to 350° near the end of the rise time.
Bake the roll for 50-55 minutes, covering loosely with foil after about 35 minutes. The internal temperature should be 180° in the center.
Cool the roll in the pan for about 10 minutes, while you mix up the glaze. Transfer the roll to a cutting board or platter, drizzle with the glaze and serve warm or at room temperature.
