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Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

If you are looking for a treat and have some time to spare, try my twist on cinnamon rolls.

The foundation of the rolls is a rich, eggy challah dough. We then couple the tangy tartness of craisins with a light lemon cream cheese frosting. It’s a sweet treat that is not overpowering and is family approved.

Start with one of my favorite bread doughs, challah. We’ve made this recipe in my home for 20 years or more. The dough is smooth and easy to handle. It adapts well for use in cinnamon rolls and other desserts. (See my prior blog post that uses challah loaves in a bread pudding.)

When Rebecca and I married more than 30 years ago, my Grandmother Gibson gave us a Bosch bread mixer. We use it all the time; it’s still going strong after all these years. I can’t imagine making bread without our Bosch.

Challah

  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups warm milk (about 110*)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Proof the yeast in 1/2 cup milk mixed with the sugar. It will be frothy in about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remainder of the milk and the two cups flour. Cover the bowl and let it stand for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The sponge will be bubbling when it’s ready.

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil or other vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 eggs
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour

Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the sponge, then add the oil and the vanilla. Gently beat the eggs; pour the eggs into the sponge. Mix the sponge until the ingredients are incorporated.

Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is incorporated. You will start to get a soft dough. If the dough is too wet, add flour gradually, 1/4 cup at a time. Knead the dough until it is soft and springy.

Grease a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Place the dough in the bowl, then turn the dough over so that it is oiled on all sides. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 12 x 18 inches. You will repeat these steps three times (once for each piece of dough), so remember to divide the remaining ingredients into thirds as you proceed forward. If you have more dough than you can use in one sitting, you can freeze it for later use. (Or you can bake it into a gorgeous loaf of challah bread.) If you choose to freeze the dough for later use, remember to decrease the remaining ingredients as you move forward.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

  • 20 tablespoons melted butter (2 1/2 sticks), divided
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups craisins (or other dried fruit)
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Melt the butter. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, spread about 1/4 cup of melted butter over the dough. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread about 1/4 cup of the mixture over the dough. Spread 1/2 cup each of craisins and nuts over the dough.

Roll the dough into a log.  Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch segments. You should have about 8 or 9 rolls from each piece of dough.

I like to bake cinnamon rolls in disposable foil trays. I can give some cinnamon rolls to friends and they won’t have to worry about returning a pan to me. But you may want to bake the rolls in a 9 x 13 pan instead.

Pour 1/2 cup of the melted butter into the bottom of your baking pan. Sprinkle in about 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Then place your cinnamon rolls in the pan.

I

Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel, and let them rise about 1 hour.

Bake at 350* until the rolls are golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Top the cinnamon rolls with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Molly’s Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 16 tablespoons butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 6 to 8 cups of powdered sugar
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • juice of 1 lemon (to taste)

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until it is creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese, and mix for about 3 minutes more.

Add the lemon zest, vanilla, and (approximately) 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the butter and cream cheese mixture. Then add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Add lemon juice to taste.

I typically use all of the lemon juice and no more than 6 cups of powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar if you like a sweeter frosting. The frosting should be fluffy and spreadable. If it is too thick, mix in some milk, one tablespoon at a time.

When the cinnamon rolls have cooled, frost the rolls. If you have some frosting left over, it makes a great topping for pancakes or waffles.

Enjoy.

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Double Chocolate Blueberry Scones

Those of you who know me know that I like to make scones. They are great for a quick breakfast or snack. And the basic recipe is versatile and easy to vary. I can use whatever we already have on stock at home.

I previously shared the recipe for Bacon Cheese Scones. This recipe starts with the same basic ingredients, but adds some chocolate-y and fruity goodness. And everyone loves chocolate.

This version incorporates both cocoa powder and chocolate chips for a rich double chocolate flavor.

Experiment with different ingredients to find your favorite combination. Substitute peppermint pieces and extract for the chocolate chips and vanilla. Try different dried fruits. (I especially like dried cherries.) Add some toasted pecans or walnuts. Replace the cocoa powder and vanilla with sliced almonds, craisins, and almond extract. Be adventurous. Your taste buds will thank you.

Ingredients

Start with the ingredients for a basic sweet scone.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Your variety comes from the mix-ins. For the double chocolate scones, I use

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup dried blueberries

Directions

Preheat over to 450*.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa in a food processor. Pulse until mixed (1 or 2 times). Add the butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of a pea. Alternatively, you can cut in the butter using a fork or a pastry blender.

Add in the chocolate chips and blueberries. With the processor running on low, slowly add the whipping cream and vanilla until a dough forms. Do not over mix.

Turn out the dough on a clean surface. You may still have patches of dry ingredients in the dough (see photo below).

Gently knead the dough to incorporate any remaining dry ingredients. Pat the dough into a round disk about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

With a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out individual scones. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Gather any scraps of dough, pat out into a disk, and cut additional scones. You should have 12 to 14 scones.

Bake the scones for 12 to 15 minutes.

Alternate Directions

Special Request from my sister, Liz Marquez.

If you are really ambitious, you can use fresh blueberries (or other fruit) in lieu of dried fruit. The fresh fruit adds liquid to your mixture, so decrease the amount of whipping cream slightly by a tablespoon or so.

Follow the directions above until you are ready to add the chocolate chips and the blueberries. Transfer the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix in the chocolate chips. Then add the blueberries. Gently fold the whipping cream and the vanilla into the dry ingredients until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Pat the dough out into a disk, and follow the remaining directions from above.

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Bacon Cheese Scones

I love scones for breakfast. They are quick and easy to make; it’s fun to experiment and try new flavor combinations.

Rebecca likes savory scones. I start with a basic scone recipe and customize it depending on my mood that day.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Then its time for the flavorings.

  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup (or more) real bacon bits
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Hot sauce to taste (I like Tabasco)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Pulse flour, baking powder, and salt in your food processor. Cut the butter into 1/4 inch chunks and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand (about 5 to 7 times). Add cheese and bacon. Pulse once or twice. With your processor running on low, slowly add the cream and hot sauce to the mixture until a dough forms.

Remove the dough from the processor. Pat it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the scones using a biscuit or cookie cutter. I like to use a 2-inch square cutter.

Place the scones on a silicone baking sheet about an inch apart.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the scones are golden brown.

When I bake scones, I always bring some in to the office for my colleagues. I like to take care of the people who take care of me.