Skillet Cinnamon Rolls
These skillet cinnamon rolls are made with an easy make-ahead dough that's rolled and baked with cinnamon sugar and slathered with cream cheese icing. Can be made as a giant roll or individual rolls in a cast-iron skillet.
Equipment
- 8- or 9-inch (20- or 23-cm) cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
For the brioche dough
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100°F | 38°C)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup honey
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, melted
For the skillet cinnamon roll(s)
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 pound brioche dough
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup well-packed light or dark brown sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest, preferably organic
For the cream cheese icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia brand, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest, preferably organic
Instructions
Make the brioche dough
- In a 6-quart (6-liter) bowl or other large container, or in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, dump all the ingredients in the order listed.
- Using a spoon and strong biceps or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, blend in the flour until combined. (If you’re not using a mixer, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last of the flour.) Don’t try to work with it at this point.
☞ TESTER TIP: The dough will be a little loose and sticky but don't worry. It will firm when it's cold.
- Loosely cover the container and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Refrigerate the dough until it’s thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours. (You can refrigerate the dough for up to 5 days.)
Make the skillet cinnamon roll(s)
- Generously butter an 8- or 9-inch (20- or 23-cm) cast-iron skillet.
- Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (455-g) piece of dough. Return the rest of the dough to the refrigerator and use within 5 days.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 9 inches by 12 inches (23 by 30 cm) and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, using just enough flour to prevent it from sticking.
- Brush the melted butter over the entire surface of the rolled dough. In a small bowl, mix together the sugars, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the butter-topped dough.
- For one giant skillet cinnamon roll (pictured), use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough lengthwise into 1 1/2-inch-wide (40-mm-wide) strips. Roll one of the strips into a tight coil. Place the coil on the end of the next strip and roll that strip around the coil, connecting the two ends together. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough until you have a giant coil of dough. At some point, you will have to lay the coil down on the work surface and wind the dough around it, or it will get too large and unwieldy. Use a large spatula to set the entire coil into the buttered cast-iron skillet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 75 minutes.For several smaller skillet cinnamon rolls, start at the short end and roll the dough into a log. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the log crosswise into 6 equal rolls. Arrange the rolls inside the buttered cast-iron skillet. Space slightly apart for rolls with crisp edges, if desired, or nestle together for softer rolls. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 75 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake the cinnamon roll(s) until golden brown and set in the middle, about 25 minutes. To test for doneness, you’ll need to use the tip of a knife to probe a little into the center between the rolls.
- Let the roll(s) cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before icing.
Make the cream cheese icing
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on low speed until smooth.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon cream, vanilla, and orange zest and whisk until well combined. If the icing seems too thick to spread, dribble in a little additional cream until the icing is still thick but spreadable.
- Serve the cinnamon roll(s) straight from the skillet or, if desired, transfer to a platter. Slather the cinnamon roll(s) with the cream cheese icing and, if serving the single skillet roll, slice it into wedges. Then watch your hard work quickly disappear.
Notes
Skillet Cinnamon Rolls
Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Any White Bread Dough If you’re seeking something a touch less indulgent (for reasons we won’t question!), you can easily substitute your favorite white bread dough for the brioche. All the same cinnamon loveliness with a little less richness. Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Five-Spice Powder Lend an air of intrigue to your cinnamon rolls when you swap out Chinese five-spice powder for the cinnamon. The blend of warming spices includes cinnamon, so technically these will still be cinnamon rolls. All the same cinnamon loveliness with a little more robust, more complex, more showstopping warmth from its blend of spices. What To Do With Leftover Bread Dough Another benefit from this recipe, aside from the obvious, is that you’ll end up with more dough than you’ll need for these skillet cinnamon rolls. Lucky you! The superfluous dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days and used, as cravings arise, for additional batches of these cinnamon roll or it can be shaped and baked into buns or burger rolls or loaves, or it can be transformed into our off-the-charts gooey monkey bread.Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 386mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 33g