The softest, fluffiest, best cinnamon rolls ever are made using the Asian tangzhong method. These milk bread cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and stay moist for days, so go ahead and make a double batch!
When you combine two of my favorite things, you get this outrageous thing known as milk bread cinnamon rolls. Milk bread is a style of soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet bread often found in Asia. It’s honestly one of my favorite things since its just so pillowy and tender. Unlike traditional cinnamon rolls, these use a dough that’s inspired by milk bread by utilizing tangzhong, a milk/water/flour paste, in the dough. The milk bread dough is then rolled flat, filled with cinnamon and brown sugar, and made into what I consider one of the best cinnamon rolls there ever was.
These cinnamon rolls are extra fluffy, stay moist for a long time, and are great for any breakfast, brunch, or midnight snack occasions.
What is Tangzhong?
The foundation of the milk bread cinnamon roll dough is tangzhong, which is made by cooking a portion of the flour and liquids in the recipe together in the recipe. This helps the flour retain water throughout the process since it pre-absorbed, which means both a less sticky dough to work with as well as rolls that stay moist and fresh for longer.
Making the tangzhong is also super easy!
- Combine milk, water, and flour in a small saucepan
- Heat to around 150°F, until a soft paste forms, making sure to stir often
- Remove from heat and let it cool down completely before using
What You’ll Need For Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls
equipment needed
- Stand Mixer: I highly, highly recommend using a mixer if possible for this recipe. It will be so much easier to knead the dough and you will be able to better control the amount of flour that goes into the recipe. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can also use a hand mixer with hook attachments.
- Baking dishes: Use any size and shape of baking dish that you like. I actually used two separate medium-sized baking dishes that hold 6 cinnamon rolls each.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH AND FILLING
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- One large egg, at room temperature: to quickly bring your egg to room temp, soak it in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes.
- Whole milk: whole milk will yield the richest texture and flavor.
- Water: this will be used in the tangzhong
- Active dry yeast: make sure that you are using active dry yeast and not instant rise/rapid yeast. The two are different! If you only have instant yeast available, note that your rise times will be shorter and your second rise won’t be as high.
- Dark brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
ICING INGREDIENTS
- Powdered (confectioners) sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter
Tips for Making Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you along your cinnamon roll journey:
- The yeast: Activate the yeast in milk that is just warm to the touch (around 110 degrees F). If you’ve got a thermometer, it wouldn’t hurt to use it, otherwise dip your finger in and see if it feels slightly warmer than your own body temperature. You will know the yeast is ready when it starts to bubble and form a creamy foam at the surface of your milk. It’ll also smell pretty…yeasty. Like you’re taking a brewery tour and smell the fermenting yeast in the air.
- The dough: The dough will be very sticky at first but do not panic. It will get smoother and more elastic as you knead it and the gluten strands build up. If you need at add additional four, do so a little bit at a time. The dough should be tacky, but not impossible to work with.
- The cutting: cutting a log of dough into individual cinnamon rolls can be tricky! The best method I have found is to actually use unflavored floss to cut the dough. This gets a clean cut every time without squishing anything. Worst case scenario if you only have mint flavored floss I promise it won’t make too much of a difference (speaking from experience hehe).
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover cinnamon rolls can be stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped and left out at room temperature for up to two days. Otherwise, they’ll last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If so, I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a rating and/or comment to spread the love and help others find this recipe.
Also feel free take a picture and share it with me on Instagram @toppedwithhoney. Looking forward to seeing your decadent caramel mocha cupcakes!
If you’re not ready to bake yet, no problem! Simply hover over any image in this post (pick your favorite), or tap if you’re on mobile, and click the pin icon in the corner to save for later.
Happy baking, and if you wanna explore some more rolls try these:
Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Fluffy Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 3 tbsp flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ cup water
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 2½ tsp yeast
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 3 cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Filling
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- splash vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Make the tangzhong. Mix the flour, water, and milk together in a small saucepan until smooth and lump free. Turn the heat on medium-low, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes a thick paste and is around 150℉ (65℃)*. Transfer the tangzhong into a separate bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool completely to room temperature.
- To start on the dough, first activate the yeast. Warm the milk using the microwave in a small cup or bowl for 15-20 seconds, or until just warm to the touch (around 110° F). Then stir in 1 tbsp of sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast on top and gently stir it in. The yeast will be ready once bubbly and foamy (around 5-10 minutes).
- In the meantime, combine the flour, remaining 4 tbsp of sugar, and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the hook attachment.
- Turn the mixer on to medium-low speed and pour in the milk, followed by the melted butter, egg, and lastly the Tangzhong. Turn up to medium speed until a dough starts coming together. It will be a sticky dough at first.
- After that, continue kneading the dough in the mixer for around 6-7 minutes, or until it is smooth and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, 1 tbsp at a time if needed. The dough should be tacky but not unmanageably sticky. It should pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, but may stick at the bottom.
- Grease a large bowl that you’ll proof the dough in. Transfer the dough to the dough, cover, and let rise for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size. Note that if you are using instant yeast or are working in a very warm environment, the rise time will be closer to 1 hour.
Filling & Baking
- Once the dough is puffy and doubled in size, punch it down and transfer it to a flat surface that’s been lightly dusted with flour.
- Roll the dough into a 14×16 inch rectangle–it doesn’t need to be perfect.
- Brush the melted butter onto the dough rectangle. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and then sprinkle on top of the butter in an even layer.
- Starting with the long side facing you, begin tightly rolling the dough away from you, so that you form a 16″ long tube. Pinch the ends to seal it off. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces (tip: use unflavored floss to cut the dough).
- Place the rolls into a greased or parchment-lined baking dish of your choice, making sure to space them 1 inch apart so they have room to grow. I used two separate small casserole pans. Cover and let rise again for another 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350℉. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until they are a light golden brown.
Icing
- To make the icing, whisk all of the ingredients together until you have a smooth, slightly runny icing. Add additional milk as needed to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Spoon the icing over warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
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