Salted Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

I've cracked the code!

What’s Been On My Plate

And just like that, it’s October. Less than 100 days left to our year. I’m spotting more and more leaves, fallen soldiers, on the ground. You know who sounds good in October? John Mayer. What tastes good? Butter and cinnamon. What feels good? A warm sweatshirt fresh from the dryer. What smells good? Air rolling off a meadow in early morning.

The Iowa City farmers market is still in action! Cabbage, apples, leafy greens, potatoes, and leeks are all in their peak right now. Since returning from my Washingtonian summer, I have a newfound appreciation for the unusually long and prolific growing season of Iowa. There’s a reason more than 85% of Iowa is farmland: We can keep the party going —or the produce growing— from May-October.

The other week, I made a pistachio olive oil cake and topped it with a white chocolate ganache riddled with roasted strawberries. It was quite nice. To make the ganache, I simply whisked roasted strawberries into an otherwise normal melted white chocolate and heavy whipping cream ganache recipe. I did this because I Can’t Be Chill About Anything and need to add a random flair to everything I do. Also on rotation have been my sexy breakfast potatoes. Breakfast potatoes + a good book + an iced dirty chai latte = a delightful morning.

What Will Be On Your Plate

Earlier this year, during the blurry and undecided season of late-winter and early-spring, I found myself in a cinnamon-roll state of mind. I had never made cinnamon rolls before. But suddenly, I was making rolls every other week. I made cinnamon rolls, I made orange rolls (twice), and I made blueberry & lemon rolls. And then I was done. Every roll was delicious, and each time I’d make them, my cinnamon-roll skills (and confidence) leveled up. After trying various roll recipes and several different icings, I have cracked the cinnamon roll code.

These rolls have a soft and airy crumb, are filled with vivacious depth in every bite thanks to the simple and warm spices we use, and are topped with an incredible salted caramel icing. Harmony. Here are a few reviews from real people like you…. (Not actors!!!!!!)

Everything in life has prepared me for these salted caramel cinnamon rolls. While the base of these rolls are not mine, the filling is! As is the addition of the salted caramel icing. Because plain cinnamon rolls with a basic icing are nice, but spiced cinnamon rolls with a salted caramel icing are excellent. If you’re going to have a cinnamon roll, you should have a Cinnamon. Roll.

They're so cute & fun

Also, as a side note: cinnamon rolls are a labor of love. They are satisfying to make and rewarding to eat & share with others. While they are not overly hard to make, they do take time. As many great things do. They are the perfect project for a chilly fall day, Before you begin: Make sure your yeast is alive, make sure your hands are ready to knead, and make sure your tummy is ready for warm rolls.

Salted Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

Follow this recipe for the dough. Monique from Ambitious Kitchen has a wonderfully-written recipe which goes into extensive detail. She’s great, and happens to be a Chicago local! Please use bread flour, it really is worth it. And use my tweaks!! Which are 1) brown the melted butter she calls for before adding it to the dough and 2) sub her plain butter and cinnamon filling for mine:

JuJu’s Filling:

• 8 tablespoons of salted butter

• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1 tsp orange zest

• 1 tsp ginger, zested

• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Once you’ve baked the Ambitious Kitchen Cinnamon Roll recipe, it will be frosting o’clock. Let your rolls cool for at least half an hour before icing them, otherwise the icing will not set correctly. It will melt off instead!

Magic Salted Caramel Icing:

• 7 tablespoons of salted butter

• 1 cup of brown sugar, unpacked

• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream

• 1/4 tsp salt, sea salt ideal

• 2-3 tablespoons of milk (or heavy cream)

• 1 and 2/3 cup powdered sugar

  

  

  Method:

1. Melt the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking on occasion to fully combine.

2. Once fully melted, add the salt and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking until it reaches 230 degrees F.

3. Once the caramel reaches this 230 degrees remove the saucepan from the heat, and pour it into a large heat-safe bowl.

4. Let the caramel cool for about 20 minutes, it will thicken a bit.

5. Once cooled down, whisk the powdered sugar into the caramel mixture, adding a tablespoon of milk or cream at a time to loosen it to your desired consistency.

6. Pour the frosting over your rolls. Enjoy. I know you will!

From My Plate To Yours,

JuJu