Snow Food

Cardamom Walnut Cinnamon Rolls

Happy New Year to anyone who is reading this! I hope you all stayed healthy over the holidays and got to spend time with loved ones. I am now hibernating in my kitchen for the remainder of winter and taking advantage of winter spices — cardamom specifically. When we have inches of snow on the forecast I love to work up a comfort breakfast to cozy up with by the fire and watch the snow fall. Cinnamon rolls felt right for this morning but I don’t love anything that takes too much rise time (especially for breakfast), and I think I have nailed the rise time on these.

Transparently, I have tested this recipe twice so if you dare, proceed with caution. Warning, they’re unbelievable.

Cardamom Walnut Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough

1 1/2 All Purpose Flour

1 1/4 Bread Flour

1/4 Granulated Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Whole Milk

4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 Standard Packet Instant Yeast

1 Large Egg (room temperature)

Filling

5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (very soft)

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar (tightly packed)

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Cardamom

1/2 Cup Crushed Walnuts

Cardamom Glaze

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tsp Cardamom

Up to 2 Tbsp Milk to create your preferred consistency (this is also delicious made with heavy cream)

Instructions: *I use a stand mixer

• Make the dough: Add flour, sugar, and salt into your large bowl and set aside.

• Microwave milk and butter together until melted. Your mixture should reach around 100 degrees (make sure to let it cool if it’s warmer than 100). Dissolve yeast in your milk/butter mixture and add to your dry ingredients. Then add egg. Mix on low to medium speed until a soft dough forms.

• Switch to dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. If dough is too sticky you can add more flour one small tablespoon at a time until you reach a soft, pillowy consistency. Place your ball in a large bowl, lightly cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

• Make filling/Fill the rolls: Combine all of your filling ingredients in a bowl (minus the butter). Roll your dough into a 14x8 inch (ish) rectangle (mine always ends up a little large than this and then I trim the edges to make it into a rectangle). Spread your softened butter on your dough all the way to the edges. Sprinkle your filling mixture over the dough and don’t be shy! Once it is all sprinkles on, I like to press the sprinkled mixture very well into the dough. Roll up the dough so you have a long (14 inch ish) log. You should have about 10-12 cinnamon rolls once cut (I have 11 in this photo). Arrange on a 9x9 square baking dish.

• Rise: Pre-heat your oven to warm or 200F. Cover your dish with a kitchen towel and let rise on the counter for 30 minutes. Uncover with the kitchen towel, cover with aluminum foil and place in your warm oven to finish rising for 20 minutes or until doubled in size.

• Bake: When your rolls have doubled in size, remove from the oven and preheat oven to 375F. (Keep your rolls covered with the aluminum foil) Once your oven has preheated bake your rolls for 12 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the tops of your rolls are golden brown.

• Make your icing by combining your powdered sugar with your butter, vanilla and cardamom. I add 1 tbsp of milk until I have reached by desired consistency. It always takes less than I think so start small. The consistency shouldn’t be thick but shouldn’t be runny (helpful, right?).

• Glaze and set: Pour your glaze over all of your cinnamon rolls and place the pan back in the oven (if you have already turned it off it is okay, it’s still warm and that will work great). This allows your glaze to soak into your cinnamon rolls and have everything stay warm and meld together. After about 5-8 minutes remove from the oven.

• Serve & enjoy!