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Spice Rolls

These are not cinnamon rolls, and they’re not the viral chai tea cinnamon rolls either. I call them spice rolls, because they’re more than just cinnamon- it’s also cardamom, cloves, and star anise. 🍁🫚🐸

Lisa on goodhumblefoodie.com

Spice Rolls

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Proof Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 14 tiny rolls
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Breakfast

Ingredients
  

Spiced Dough
  • 150 ml milk of choice, 110 deg F
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp white granulated sugar
  • 300 g AP flour
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 70 g (1/2 stick) butter soften
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
Sweet and Spicy Filling
  • 226 g (2 sticks) butter
  • 1-2 cinnamon stick(s)
  • 2 star anise
  • 3 cloves
  • 4 cardamom
  • 200 g brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 100 g leftover sweet and spicy filling
  • 9 oz cream cheese soften
Mandatory Egg Wash
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tbsp milk of choice

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Electric whisk
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • measuring spoons
  • medium bowl
  • Rubber Spatula
  • tiny rolling pin
  • Small bowl
  • pastry brush
  • baking pan quarter pan
  • tiny sauce pot
  • Tiny sifter
  • tiny offset spatula
  • bread knife
  • Fork
  • parchment paper

Method
 

  1. Bloom yeast, warm milk, and sugar. Sit for 10 minutes until froffy.
  2. In large bowl, mix flour, spices, and salt. Create well in the center for egg, yeast bloom, and maple syrup. Bring together gently with a fork. Once dough forms, add butter and knead until dough is smooth (2-4 minutes). Grease bowl and proof dough for 2 hours.
  3. In sauce pot, melt butter along with spices. Rest to infuse. Strain into small bowl and mix in brown sugar.
  4. Lightly flour surface and roll dough about 1/2 centimeter thick. Spread filling with offset spatula. Save about 1/4 of the filling for the frosting later. roll up dough and cut with bread knife to 2 cm thick rolls.
  5. Grease baking dish and layer parchment paper. Line up rolls. Rest for another hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together egg wash ingredients and brush onto rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Use best judgement if they're ready or not.
  7. In electric whisk, cream the rest of the filling and cream cheese together. Once rolls are ready, lather frosting with off set spatula. Optional sprinkle spices on top.

Notes

  1. I used almond milk. Make sure it’s warm but not hot.
  2. Trust the process, the dough will be very soft at first when butter is added. Don’t panic or add extra flour, just knead and it will magically become smooth in no time.
  3. Can infuse butter and spices ahead of time for max flavor.
  4. Roll dough in a long rectangular shape. Use a smaller rolling pin, as it’s easier to navigate.
  5. When spreading filling onto dough, don’t worry about edges that much. Leave the bottom part without filling, so when you roll, filling won’t spill out.
  6. I like to cut with a bread knife, but cooking twine works too.
  7. Egg wash isn’t usually in cinnamon roll recipes, but I highly recommend to give it the best texture, as I find most rolls too dry after baking and not even frosting could save it.
  8. Spices are totally adjustable. You can use as much all-spice, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and other spices as much as you want and what’s in reach! The whole point of “spice rolls” is to incorporate more spices so it’s not just cinnamon.
  9. Can be enjoyed right after baking.
  10. Perfect for freezing. Must be refrigerated after baking.