These ultra soft cinnamon rolls are made using the tangzhong method. Don't worry if you're unfamiliar with this baking method, it's easy to master and I walk you through it step by step!
These squishy soft cinnamon rolls will truly make your heart happy with their gooey brown sugar and spice filling, encased in the light, tender dough. The Asian milk bread dough base creates the perfect chewy cinnamon roll texture and the technique will change your world.
You'll never need another cinnamon roll recipe. It's a promise!
The Japanese style bread-making method makes cinnamon rolls absolutely transcendent. It begins with a starter called tangzhong. The milk bread starter ensures the moist yet airy cinnamon roll dough you have always wanted. You won't regret taking the extra five minutes for this step.
There's nothing too complicated about this cinnamon roll dough recipe. You might learn a few new things, but for sure you'll be able to recreate them in your kitchen.
In this post, the first thing I'll tell you about is this interesting cooking method. You'll also get info on storing, frosting and step-by-step instructions on how to make the rolls. Keep reading for more!
Jump to:
- Explaining the tangzhong method
- What makes these the best cinnamon rolls?
- Ingredients in the soft cinnamon rolls
- The perfect cinnamon roll filling
- Choosing and measuring the flour
- The right way to measure flour
- How to make super soft cinnamon rolls
- Make ahead options
- FAQ
- Tips for the Best Soft & Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
- More yeast bread recipes
- 📖 Full Recipe
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
Explaining the tangzhong method
If you've ever stopped by a China Town bakery in New York City and tried their soft, sometimes filled rolls, you may have had tangzhong milk bread. (I love the coconut-filled rolls in those bakeries! Try one if you're in town!)
Traditionally a Chinese bread making technique, tangzhong found its way to Japan where it is widely known as milk bread.
This Asian bread-making technique produces rolls or loaves with a feathery, springy texture. It involves the step of making a paste from flour and milk, plus sometimes water.
5% to 10% of the flour in the recipe, with some of the recipe’s liquid or milk is cooked into a thick paste. It's almost pudding-like. The mixture gets added to the rest of the dough recipe and kneaded in.
The science is that the paste traps or holds water in the flour molecules, which makes it possible to add much more liquid than what the dough could normally hold.
That extra moisture keeps the crumb of the bread soft and tender without being too wet. The moisture converts to steam during baking, which helps make the bread light and fluffy.
It sounds more complicated than it is. This recipe does the math for you and you don't have to worry about percentages. It takes all of five minutes at the stove and an extra pot, but the results are worth it.
What makes these the best cinnamon rolls?
For me, the ultimate cinnamon roll has the perfect balance of dough to filling to frosting.
Here's the list for what every cinnamon roll should check off, in my humble opinion!
- Lofty, soft dough that stays soft even if it's not fresh from the oven.
- Tender and ever-so-slightly chewy bite.
- Balance of gooey brown sugar and cinnamon flavor.
- Perfect balance of bread to gooey filling.
- A delicious not-too-sweet vehicle for creamy frosting.
One thing I love about this recipe is how long these rolls stay soft. The next day they aren't stale one bit.
You can make these rolls big and thick or even mini. Just roll and cut them the size you desire.
Ingredients in the soft cinnamon rolls
These tangzhong cinnamon rolls don't require any special ingredients and are similar to classic cinnamon rolls, only softer.
The tangzhong starter is a simple combination of water, whole milk, and all-purpose flour.
To create the cinnamon roll dough, additional flour is added, along with instant yeast, dry milk, whole milk, eggs, and unsalted butter.
Note that there is no sugar in the dough! This is because sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water molecules. If there was sugar in the dough, it would attract all those water molecules to itself leaving the bread with a dry mouthfeel and courser crumb.
Conversely, the eggs are in the dough to make it a lovely rich, satiny texture. Ideally your eggs will be at room temperature or almost, when you use them for the dough.
Keeping all your ingredients on the warm side when mixing dough helps the proofing time happen at a good speed. To warm cold eggs, just let them sit in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
The perfect cinnamon roll filling
Too much talk of cinnamon rolls? Listen, if you made it this far you must love them as much as I do! And I feel like the filling is oh, so important.
I don't think fancy fillings using cornstarch or other ingredients are necessary. I stick with the classic — butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
And guess what? You can add as much sugar or cinnamon as you like.
For this size recipe, I think 1 cup of brown sugar (preferably dark brown sugar for me) and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon is perfect.
Any more cinnamon is overpowering. Any less, and it's just a sweet roll. The brown sugar is the perfect amount to create the gooey center, but not too much that it all melts out the bottom.
Choosing and measuring the flour
I based this recipe off of a mix between my mom's delicious rolls and the King Arthur soft cinnamon rolls recipe. The KA recipe calls for bread flour. And while this makes sense and I totally trust and love them, I have to disagree here!
Having made my recipe with both flours I loved the texture and loft of the rolls using all-purpose flour better.
Bread flour contains more protein than AP flour. For making bread that's sliceable and sturdy, you want to use bread flour that helps develop a strong gluten situation.
For soft cinnamon rolls, I found I don't need this strength and my rolls were much more tender when I used AP Flour!
The right way to measure flour
Measuring technique for flour is important. Everyone scoops, spoons and measures flour differently. That's why professional baking recipes use weight.
I've included both weight and cup measurements for the flour. The first time you make these, feel free to weigh the flour. You'll be able to see if your amount is heavy or light.
After that, the recipe is a tiny bit forgiving, but keep your measurement technique in mind.
How to make super soft cinnamon rolls
Here are the steps, with helpful images, for making Japanese milk bread cinnamon rolls.
First make the tangzhong paste mixture. Cook the small measurements of flour, water and milk in a small saucepan on the stove.
Add the paste and all the remaining dough ingredients to the bowl of a mixer. You'll mix this with the dough hook.
The dough will be rough and seem dry. Let this mixture rest for 20 minutes to soften, then you will knead it some more.
Once kneaded for a few minutes following its little 20 minute nap, the smooth and soft dough gets its first proofing session. This will take 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the temperature and conditions of the room.
Roll the dough into a 12-by-19-inch rectangle.
Spread the butter for the filling, gently over the rectangle, then top with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Gently roll the dough from the long end into a tight spiral. Pinch the end edge to secure the spiral together.
Cut the roll into 12 or 15 rolls, depending on your preference. I use doubled thread or unflavored floss to cut each roll. You can do this or use a knife.
Let the rolls rise in a buttered pan until puffy, but not quite doubled in size. Your finger mark should remain when the rolls are lightly touched. The mark shouldn't spring back. This will take about 60 minutes.
Bake the rolls about 20 minutes until just starting to turn golden brown. Let cool slightly before adding frosting.
Make ahead options
There are several options for you to make the rolls ahead.
- Option 1: You can bake them but don't frost them. Wrap the cooled baking pan in plastic and gently heat them the next day. Remove the plastic, cover pan with foil and heat them for about 5 minutes in a 350ºF oven. Then add the frosting and serve.
- Option 2: You can also prepare the dough, but don't let it rise for the 60 to 90 minutes. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight. Then remove, roll, fill and let rise as rolls. Because the dough is cold, it will take longer to rise. Bake when fully proofed.
- Option 3: Another option is to let the dough rise the first time, then form the cinnamon rolls and place them in the pan. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.
If you refrigerate them, you can let the buns come almost to room temperature, rise properly in the pan and then bake.
If you freeze the buns, remove them from the freezer and transfer them to the fridge overnight to thaw. In the morning, let them come almost to room temperature and get a proper rise, then bake. You may have to add a few minutes to the baking time.
FAQ
The perfect frosting for cinnamon rolls is a confectioners' sugar based frosting and can be all butter or even include cream cheese.
I love a simple butter and confectioners' sugar frosting like my Fluffy Vanilla Frosting. I use a half batch of my frosting for these rolls and add a little milk to make it softer. That's all it takes.
You might also like a cream cheese frosting. It's pretty dreamy on cinnamon rolls.
The beauty of a tangzhong cinnamon roll is that the dough doesn't get stale very quickly. Storing them, covered, for a day or even two is great.
You can reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds if you prefer a warm roll.
Once baked, these soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls will last up to two days at room temperature. If frozen, they'll last up to three months.
This straightforward recipe doesn't work with the swap of all-purpose gluten free flour. Your best bet is to try my Quick Cinnamon Roll recipe and swap the regular flour for gluten free. That recipe doesn't use yeast and has a nice biscuit texture.
Tips for the Best Soft & Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
Typically sweet bread doughs are enriched with eggs and have sugar to boost that sweet flavor. The yeast helps this rich dough rise after the gluten has been formed from kneading.
This tangzhong dough is unique in several ways. Here are some top tips for making this recipe.
Want a great way to slice a log of dough into buns? Use doubled thread or unflavored dental floss. Loop it under and around the log, then pull it tight criss crossing. The thread will cut through the dough easily without smashing the rolls like a knife might.
Typically yeast is proofed (or softened in water) before being added to the dough. The yeast in this recipe is added dry.
It absorbs the liquid from the dough and because it hasn't already been proofed, it takes its sweet time raising the dough. This creates the perfect texture and flavor because it's not pushed and rushed.
More yeast bread recipes
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📖 Full Recipe
Super Soft Cinnamon Rolls - Tangzhong Milk Bread
Ingredients
Tangzhong starter
- 5 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoons whole milk
- 10 teaspoons (28g) all-purpose flour (3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon)
Roll dough
- 4 cups plus 2 tablespoon (496g) all-purpose flour
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup nonfat dry milk
- ¾ cup warm whole milk
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
Filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Buttercream frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar (sifted )
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the tangzhong starter:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, milk and flour. Whisk together and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. This will take 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture will be the consistency of thick pudding. Remove from heat; set aside.
Make the dough:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, instant yeast, and dry milk. Add the warm milk, eggs, melted butter, and reserved tangzhong paste.
- Mix the dough on medium speed until combined. Dough will be dry and form a ball. Cover bowl with a clean towel and let rest 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes mix dough on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Scrape down from dough hook as needed to allow dough to mix evenly. Remove dough hook and use a rubber scraper to bring dough together into a ball. Spray the inside of the bowl with cooking spray.
- Cover bowl and transfer to a warm place to proof. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk and finger imprint remains and doesn't bounce back when touched, 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the warmth and environment.
Filling:
- Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Gently press into a small rectangle shape, then roll into a 12-by-19-inch rectangle.
- Spread filling butter over the entire surface. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the top.
- Starting with a long edge, roll dough around filling into a spiral log. Pinch open edge so it stays together.
- Use thread or a knife to cut log into 15 rolls. (Alternatively you can cut it into 12 pieces for large rolls.). Place rolls, cut side up, in a buttered jelly roll pan (10-by-15-inch pan).
- Cover pan and let rolls rise until almost double in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes depending on the warmth and environment.
Bake:
- When rolls have almost proofed completely, heat oven to 350ºF with rack in the center.
- Bake rolls until just turning golden, 22 to 26 minutes.
Make buttercream:
- In a mixing bowl beat the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time, mixing, until frosting comes together. Add vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Spread icing on warm, not hot, rolls.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Sharon Hewlett says
Tara I made these rolls over the weekend. I have had an amazing cinnamon roll, but it seems like no matter what I would do some of the center rolls would fall and be gooey. This was a great dough recipe. The dough was so silky and held together and the rolls were delicious. In fact I made 5X the recipe and with some constant hand washing and counter disinfecting I was able to give away almost all (especially to family). I did make a sugar water syrup that I use in my other recipe and brush them on the rolls when they come out of the oven and before I frosted them I can see how this dough would refrigerate well. Thanks for sharing. Another Tara recipe added to my favorites!
Marybeth Hiebert says
I only have traditional yeast available. I don't imagine I can use that? I sure don't want to waste ingredients!
Tara T. says
You can use active dry yeast! I’d suggest stirring it into the warm milk and letting it bloom for just a few minutes then proceed with the recipe. I start yeast without blooming, but active dry often benefits from a little head start.
T a r a
Camille says
10 out of 10. The perfect combination of sweet and soft. Loved it.
Tara T. says
Thanks for the comment Camille!
Alena says
I'm impressed with how fluffy these cinnamon rolls are. Wish I had some right now! 🙂
Amy | Two Healthy Kitchens says
Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite breakfasts, hands-down! I've been looking for a really perfect recipe for a while, and I know these will be my go-to now!
Tara says
Breakfast, lunch and dinner for me! LOL.
Paige says
Wow, this looks completely awesome, and I am loving your site! I'd really like to try these rolls, my mouth was watering reading about them!
Tara says
Thanks! These really are delicious!
Charity says
So happy I have yeast on hand. Baking is what's getting me by lately. It just feels good to be in the kitchen working with my hands. Even better when the reward is this sweet!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow, I am totally drooling right now! Those cinnamon rolls look amazing! I actually have some yeast so this is the perfect recipe to make. Thank you for sharing.
Natalie says
This looks dangerously good. So good I'm going to make this today. Can't wait. It's delicious!
Kacey Perez says
I absolutely love making rolls and this recipe made some seriously fluffy ones! This is a recipe I will definitely be hanging on to for a long time!
Heidy says
This was a fantastic cinnamon roll recipe. Thet turned out perfect and the entire family asked that I make this recipe again!
Amanda says
These are the best looking cinamon rolls I have ever seen!
Tara says
Thanks!
Jacque Hastert says
I made this yesterday for breakfast and they were amazing! I loved that they were gone within minutes and everyone was raving about them. Thank you!
Tara says
Jacque awesome! Glad they were a hit!
Deseree says
These moist, fluffy, and delicious cinnamon rolls are really stepping up the cinnamon roll game.
Sara Welch says
What a great way to start my day! This will pair perfectly with my morning cup of coffee, indeed!
Cathy says
I would LOVE to wake up to these any day!
Sandra says
This is absolutely amazing! A sure hit at my house!
Moriah says
We made these over the weekend. They turned out soft and delish just like we expected. This made plenty of rolls to have some leftover also.
Lisa says
Hi, no sugar is needed for the roll dough? Thought sugar is required to activate the yeast?
Harriet says
Same question. I have a dinner roll recipe that is rather sweet, but isn't as soft as the Asian method results. I was hoping cinnamon roll dough would have a higher content of sugar; I'm surprised this has none.
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Harriett,
The milk bread method helps the dough stay tender just like added sugar would in a different recipe. I understand it's a surprise not to see sugar in this type of recipe, but by using a different method, you can avoid the added sugar.
Tara
Rhonda Ziegler says
The first time I tried this recipe, they turned out amazing. Now yesterday was a different story. The first rise was perfecto. The second rise didn’t do much after an hour. They turned out really small and dry. I live in Mexico on the ocean, can humidity take a perfect recipe and turn it to dust?? Any advice would be great 😊
Tara T. says
Oh no! I’m glad you had success the first time.
But yes, humidity and/or dry air can totally affect bread dough. But if the first rise went well and then they were dry I’m not sure weather was a total factor. For sure the temperature in your house. My guess is they MAY have over proofed on that first rise? So the yeast was a bit exhausted? Could also be the age of the yeast?
All just troubleshooting thoughts.
You didn’t mention it but were you using the same flour both times? That can make a difference.
Darn! I am sorry to hear this. Without knowing all the factors I can’t fix it, but I hope you’ll try it again. They sure are divine as you know!
T a r a
Belinda says
I don't think I'll ever make another cinnamon roll recipe. This is perfection! They didn't dry out overnight, but beyond that, I can't report because the cinnamon rolls didn't last beyond 24 hours.
Misty says
Awesome rolls! I have several "taste tester" neighbors and everyone loved them so much I had to make a second batch 2 days after my first! Thanks for the recipe!
Christine Anderson says
Can I use my food processor and dough blade for this recipe?
And is the sugar missing?
TY so much!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Christine, I haven’t tried it but I think the method will be fine in the food processor. You may need to adjust the kneading time to less.
It makes a decent amount of dough, so just make sure it fits ok in your particular machine.
Mia says
I’ve always wanted to be a good roll maker and now I am! These are glorious and so easy! Thank you, Tara Teaspoon!!
Tara Teaspoon says
Oh I'm glad you like them! They are divine in my opinion!
Linda says
Anxious to try this recipe. Had a question…in the recipe it calls for “instant yeast” does this mean the Rapid Rise yeast? Thank you!
Tara Teaspoon says
I'm excited for you to try the recipe. No, Instant yeast is not Rapid Rise. Instant yeast just means you don't need to activate it with warm water before using it. Rapid Rise is a different formulation and not the best for these rolls. I rarely use rapid rise because I want the time for the dough to proof properly.
If rapid rise is the only kind you have, you can try it. I haven't tested the recipe with it.
I've used instant yeast and active dry. Both of those work.
Leisa says
Thank you for your clear instructions and well executed recipe. I made a test batch for evaluation prior to sharing. No adjustments. I pour cream over prior to putting in oven. I use another frosting.
Loved this technique. Interested in how the ones will taste tomorrow using this method. Thank you too for your comparison with KA’s. It was a considered exposition and very helpful to read. I couldn’t help but wonder about using bread flour in the tangzhong and ap for balance of recipe.
The dough was a dream to work with. Tip. In a cold kitchen a heating pad covered with a towel makes a warm base for you dough bucket to sit on.
Thank you again for this well crafted recipe and fantastic technique
Leisa says
One more comment. As this recipe has no sugar in the base dough, I think that it can also be used in making more savory pinwheels (with ham), or even garlic knots.
Tara Teaspoon says
Great suggestion Leisa! I love when my recipes inspire others. Tara
Irene Mistretta says
Does this make 2 rolls, 15 rolls each? When printing the recipe it states 30 med. rolls? Thank you.
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Irene. The recipe makes 1 log, cut into 15 rolls. Is there a chance you may have hit the "2x" next to "ingredients" before printing? That's the only reason I can think of that would change the 15 to 30. If that's not the case then there is a glitch in my printing button and I appreciate you letting me know!
Donna says
This recipe is delicious. Can it be made in a bread machine without adjusting a bunch of the ingredients? I am just trying to save some time and effort by letting my machine do the work! Thanks!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Donna, I've never used a bread machine with this recipe, but my guess is that once you've made the tangzhong, you can let the bread machine do the rest of the work. If you try it, please let us know how it turned out. Tara
Donna says
I made this yesterday in the bread machine. Came out a little sticky but got it to a great consistency with a little more flour as I rolled it out. Baked them in a large muffin tin to make them as big as possible. Would have liked them to be a bit bigger but will keep making them and experimenting.
Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Liz says
Can these rolls be made without the powdered milk?
Tara Teaspoon says
Yes Liz, they can be made without powdered milk. The milk enriches the dough, adds flavor and helps with browning, but it's not imperative to the rolls.
Tara
Karl says
I've made these rolls three times in two weeks and each time they've been a little different. (Mostly because I change a thing here or there). But omg do they taste fantastic. I use active dry yeast and they turn out great and the tangzhong tech. Is a breeze. This is my ultimate common roll recipe thanks little lady.
Tara Teaspoon says
Thanks Karl, so glad you are enjoying these yummy rolls. Tara
Denine says
I love cinnamon rolls. These have a special place in my heart now. I lived in Japan for 18 months and these were as they say in japan, "nazukashi." I forgot how good their breads are in Japan till I made these last October. It is tradition in our home to eat cinnamon rolls the first sunday of the month of October and April. This recipe didn't disappoint. Game changer in our home. Thanks Tara for this great recipe that our family now loves.
Tara Teaspoon says
So glad to hear this recipe is now part of your semi-annual tradition. Thank you for sharing! Tara
Tracy says
We made these today, and the dough was dreamy to work with. They are super soft. We made a cream cheese frosting but otherwise followed the instructions exactly. They were a huge hit and so good! I have your Delicious Gatherings cookbook, and we have loved everything so far. We made the red beans and rice yesterday and the breakfast hash brown bake this morning. They were both delicious. Thank you!
Lavender says
Best ever. Thanks so much 🙂
Mike says
Hi Tara, just found this wonderful site!
I have a question, for the cinnamon rolls using the tangzhong tech.
Can I add raisins to it when I roll them out, when I was a kid we lived around the block from a bakery, and these look like what he made, light and fluffy more yeast roll looking than a normal cinnamon roll, can't wait to try making them this week. The head baker has long since passed away but his son has his own place and still makes his dads pastry, cakes, donuts they are all very light.
thanks
Mike
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Mike!
Absolutely you can add raisins! I hope they taste just like the bakery that you remember. You can add raisins as you mix the dough or add with the filling. It will work either way!
Tara
Jennifer says
Sounds like a heavenly cinnamon roll! Can’t wait to try it! You may want to correct your description. Tangzhong is a Chinese not Japanese bread making method to introduce more moisture and extend shelf life. The Japanese method is called yudane. Same method.
Tara Teaspoon says
Jennifer,
Thank you for your input! I admit, the post does need to be updated. When I was researching this method several years ago, I gathered the best information I could find. I've added this post to my update list and appreciate you taking the time to send me a message. I can't wait for you to try the recipe, I think you'll love it as much as I do.
Tara
Tina says
These were soooo good! How can I make them into pumpkin cinnamon rolls with the pumpkin in the dough?
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Tina!
I'm sooo happy you loved the cinnamon rolls. A great idea to add pumpkin.
Pumpkin puree is a super tricky ingredient to add to dough. Adding it requires some testing and chemistry.
Without having done it, I would just say you'd replace some of the liquid in the dough with pumpkin puree, but I'm not sure how it would turn out since puree is quite dense and heavy.
You could also add pumpkin pie spice to the dough and spread a little sweetened puree in the center as you roll. That may give you a tasty result without having to change the dough itself.
Best,
Tara
Adriana Gutierrez says
I can’t wait to try these. I am in a temporary housing situation with a tiny oven that cannot hod a 10x15 baking sheet so will need to make smaller batches in smaller tins. How far apart do you recommend we place the rolls?
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Adriana,
You can use whatever size pan you need to fit your oven and when you place the rolls in the pan, they can be touching each other. I wouldn't recommend smushing them together, a lot but they can absolutely touch and if you needed to smush slightly to fit another roll in, that should be just fine. Enjoy! Tara
Carmella says
I wanted to know if the tangzhong could be added to make dinner rolls?
Tara Teaspoon says
Carmella, absolutely!
In fact my Tangzhong dinner roll recipe is in my cookbook Delicious Gatherings.
If the library is still open today you could see if they have a copy!
Tara
Sofia says
These look great and I cannot wait to make them for Christmas morning. I just have one question.
Is it okay to skip the dry milk? It is not easy to find where I live. Will the rolls turn out different in texture or flavor?
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Sofia, the dry milk helps enrich the dough and give it a little structure and sweetness, but it can absolutely be left out if you don't have it on hand. The difference will be negligible, but I always recommend it if you have it on hand. Enjoy!!
Tara
Mike says
Hi Tara, Best Cinnomon Rolls ever, have made them over and over, now, I have a question? I live in New Orleans, and January 6th is King's day and also the beginning of Mardi Gras season, I want to use this recipe to make a King Cake, I need to cut the dough into 3 strips and braid them. Here is the question once I put the filling on the dough can I just fold it in half and cut my 3 strips?
Any other suggestions you may have as well. Thanks Love your recipes made the milk rolls for Christmas dinner, came out perfect.
Mike
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Mike. I'm so glad to hear you've liked these bread recipes!
On the King Cake, my guess is using this recipe will produce a large King Cake, so just be prepared. This dough is much more lofty than a traditional King Cake yeasted dough, but it will still taste lovely. You might want to fill, then cut 3 strips to your desired size and proceed with your King Cake shape. Any leftover bits or scraps just layer in a small pan or muffin tins and bake on the side.
Happy baking!
Tara
Lori Howard says
I made this recipe and it was wonderful. I would like to make ahead and bake of in morning. Can I put bowl in fridge during 60-90 min. proofing and finish in morning? If so what are your recommendations. Thank you again for sharing this recipe and this method.
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Lori,
Yes that is a great step to put the dough in the fridge.
Of course your dough will be cold, so the formed rolls may take a bit longer to proof before baking, but probably only 15 or 20 minutes more. Tara
Claudia Swarthout says
Hi. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this. Can I prepare them up to the second rise when they’re in the pan and refrigerate overnight, do the second rise in the morning, and bake and serve warm? Thanks! Clsudia
Tara Teaspoon says
You can absolutely prepare the dough ahead of time, refrigerate overnight and complete the second rise in the morning. As for serving warm, you can do that as well, however the frosting will most likely melt a little (or a lot depending on how warm they are) and won't be as fluffy. If that isn't a concern for you, go for it! They will be just as delicious. Enjoy!
Tara
Claudia says
Do these freeze well after baking?
Tara T. says
Hi Claudia, I haven't tried freezing the rolls after baking, but if you choose to do so I would recommend freezing them without the frosting. Then you can let them thaw, reheat slightly if desired, and frost them before eating. Otherwise I think the dough will absorb a lot of the frosting and it won't be the best.
Tara
Carm says
Hi I have made Cinnamon rolls but excited to try your method. Where do I find nonfat powder milk? Thanks
Tara T. says
Hi! You’ll often find it in either the breakfast or baking aisle of the grocery stores. Often it is by the chocolate milk and hot cocoa mixes wherever your store keeps those.
At the grocery you’ll often find it as packets in a box. If you buy it in bulk it’s in a canister.
All the best,
T a r a
Anna L says
I had little hope in this recipe as it felt super wet and didn't rise as much as I expected during initial proof. But oh wow I'm so glad I made it through! I've made MANY cinnamon rolls and well versed in Tangzhong method and these were the best I've ever made, my husband said so as well.
Tara T. says
That is wonderful to hear Anna! I'm glad you made it through as well, totally worth it!
Catherine C. says
Hello! I was curious if full fat milk powder will work well with this recipe?
Tara T. says
Yes! If you have full fat milk powder go ahead and use it. It's most typical to find non-fat milk powder so that's what I call for.
Angel says
Good recipe but this is clearly a Chinese bread method not Japanese. TangZhong is quite literally in Chinese. A similar method developed by the Japanese is Yudane.
Tara T. says
Thank you for your input Angel. As I mentioned to another reader, the post does need to be updated. When I was researching this method several years ago, I gathered the best information I could find. I've added this post to my update list and appreciate you taking the time to send me a message. I can't wait for you to try the recipe, I think you'll love it as much as I do.
Tara
Abby says
Hi Tara, I have not made this recipe yet, but I wonder why we added the Dry Milk?
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi! Great question and something I'll add as an update! The dry milk powder enriches the dough. It adds extra milk solids without extra liquid. Milk solids add a sweetness and caramelized flavor and the added protein helps the bread dough rise. In this recipe it is a small amount and people have had success just leaving it out. I always have it in my pantry so I use it. But you can decide.
JC says
What's the temperature of the warm milk?
Tara T. says
Hi JC, For bread you are typically taking the milk to about 110ºF so that it is warm but not too hot to kill the yeast. It can be anywhere from 105ºF to 115ºF and be fine. I take the shortcut and test it with my finger and if it's just warmer than my finger (barely) then it's good since body temp is under 100ºF. But, if you want actual temps, there you have them. Likewise for this recipe, the tangzhong should be cooled to those safe temperatures before adding it to the mixture. Hope you enjoy these rolls!
Ginny says
How thick should I cut the rolls? Thanx for your help
Tara Teaspoon says
Depending on the length of your roll and how many rolls you want, I've given instruction to cut 12 to 15 rolls. They may be anywhere from 1 1/2 inches thick to almost 2 inches thick.
Silvia says
What if I don't have dry milk?
Silvia says
Oops... never-mind me. Found the answer!
Mark says
interesting, almost exactly the king arthur recipe. I was hoping to find something different.
Mark says
Worked but I didn't have the dry powdered milk so I substituted with additional flour. Not as light and fluffy as expected, will try again with powdered milk. Frosting was too sweet will go for more of an icing next time.
Tara T. says
Oh darn. Yes try it again.
My family likes cream cheese frosting as an alternative and that can be made less sweet. But a thinner icing can work for you too! Enjoy.
T a r a
Tara T. says
Yes, they came out with their recipe a year or so after mine. I did a lot of research and testing to get my formula. Much like any baking recipe you’ll find similar formulas because it’s based on the science of moisture percentages etc.
I hope you try one of them and enjoy them!
T a r a
RR says
Hello, why there's no sugar added in dough mixture? Thank you.
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Ray, I explain that in the article. Here is the text: Note that there is no sugar in the dough! This is because sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water molecules. If there was sugar in the dough, it would attract all those water molecules to itself leaving the bread with a dry mouthfeel and courser crumb.
Enjoy!
Anne says
The double and triple function did not 2x the grams of flour in rhe recipe, it stayed at 496. The #of cups was correct.
Almost had a disaster but figured it out and rescued the 2x batch of goodness.
Linda Olson says
Have you any suggestions as to how to adapt these to make orange cinnamon rolls? Would adding some orange zest to the dough be enough to add the orange flavoring? Plus maybe add orange juice to the frosting? Suggestions most welcome!!
Linda
Tara Teaspoon says
Linda you can use a variation of the filling from my Orange Rolls. It's butter, sugar, and orange zest. I think you'll find that, plus an orange glaze frosting will do the trick.
Amy Mulberry says
These are so delicious! After trying another recipe that uses the tangzhong method, I knew I had to find one for cinnamon rolls! This is my new favorite recipe! Just as a warning when I doubled the recipe, the weight of the flour didn’t double.
Tara T. says
Thanks for letting me know. I'll check the technology on my website!
Tara
Cookin101 says
I’ve seen videos were “heavy cream” was added before baking? Would this be omitted since it’s tangzhong? Thanks
Tara Teaspoon Admin says
Hi. I've seen those too! I haven't tested these cinnamon rolls with the addition of cream when baking so I can't tell you how it would turn out. However, the tangzhong method is truly the science-secret to adding milk solids to enrich the dough. It just takes the step to gel it with flour before adding it to the dough, ensuring silkiness throughout. Cooking with cream adds extra enrichment and moisture, but I really don't think you need it in addition to a tangzhong dough.
Krystel Delossantos says
Please fix the grams for the x2 and x3 I messed up my batch because I was just reading the instructions 🥹
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Krystel, I have added a button to utilize metric measurements, although I include metric measurements in parentheses already. The functionality of the metric conversion and the 2x and 3x feature will always only change the first measurement on the ingredient list. You would always have to disregard the secondary measurement if you choose to utilize the multiplication feature. I like to give secondary measurements so you know exactly how the recipe was tested, but unfortunately don't have complete control over the tech functionality of the provided recipe card. I'm not sure why you were just reading the instructions and not the ingredient list, but I hope you are able to try them again with success!
Bonnie says
This looks amazing and I love this method. How would you make the coconut filling like the ones from the bakery in NYC?
Tara Teaspoon says
Bonnie I actually have a coconut filling for these rolls in my cookbook Delicious Gatherings!!! I'm so glad you asked. The recipes in my books are exclusive to my books, but I know you'll love them if you get the book. Enjoy!
Tara Teaspoon says
I have a recipe for that in my cookbook Delicious Gatherings.
Maria says
Is there a substitute for dry milk?
Tara Teaspoon says
There isn't. If you don't have it just leave it out. I like that it adds a slight sweetness and richness to the dough, but have left it out before and the rolls are still quite nice.
Shirl says
I weighed my flour, but my dough is not dry, it's sticky and does not pull away from the side of the bowl. Does this matter? I added 2 extra tablespoons of flour with no effect.
Tara T. says
Hello! Typically the dough will become less sticky after the first proof, or rising period, then as you pull it out to shape it you can dust your surface with extra flour to knead in before rolling the dough out.
I've added up to 1/4 cup extra flour depending on the day, humidity, etc, so you are on the right track. Just make sure it is kneaded enough before the first proof to develop gluten (and that can look like sheeting and nice long stretches as it sticks to the side of the bowl and pulls away, or it forms a windowpane when you stretch it.
It sounds like you just got the long stretches so I'm hoping it was great after it's proof!
Lauren Lamb says
I love this recipe, I use it all the time. Could pumpkin be added to the dough to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls?
Tara T. says
I wouldn’t recommend it as the flour and other liquids would need to be adjusted. Perhaps try adding pumpkin spice to the dough, then a drained or dried pumpkin filling in the middle with the sugar?
T a r a
Maria says
I followed recipe directions but when getting ready to add 1/4 cups of dry milk I accidentally grabbed the bag of e-z-gel instead of dry milk😩. I didn’t realize it until I put my ingredients away. I decided to continue with recipe despite the wrong ingredient and I am glad I did because the cinnamon turned out very fluffy and delicious. Even my husband commented on how fluffy they were .
Malaya says
Great recipe. Made this with a cinnamon-roll obsessed friend and he said this was the best version he's made and tasted to date. I didn't have dark brown sugar so we used demerara sugar and golden syrup as a replacement and mixed all the filling ingredients to make a paste instead, which added a nice crunch. Very pillowy and my family loves it. Will definitely make this again!
Ellen says
Just made this recipe and it turned out phenomenal. Love the fluffiness of the dough using the tangzhong method. Did the make a day ahead, fridge overnight, last proof and bake the next morning and they turned out delicious. And my family isn't too big on having any cream cheese in the frosting, so this buttercream frosting was a hit. Wasn't overly sweet considering the dough doesn't have a lot of sweetness to it. Will be saving for years to come. Thanks!
Tara Teaspoon says
I'm thrilled to hear this! Thank you for sharing how you did your timing! Wonderful.
Olivia says
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s gone terribly both times. The dough just cracks in the oven, it doesn’t bake up like normal cinnamon rolls. The only change from the recipe was omitting the dry milk. My yeast is new my kitchen is warm, what am I doing wrong?
Tara Teaspoon Admin says
Hi Olivia. I'm sorry to hear that you've had trouble with this recipe. It's a tried and true recipe, so let me see if I can help you troubleshoot. Although leaving out the dry milk shouldn't affect the recipe too much, it does contribute to a softer, more enriched dough. If you can get some dry milk, I'd recommend trying the recipe as it's written to see what you think. Also, if the dough is cracking, it leads me to wonder if you've accidentally added to much flour. Did you happen to weigh the flour or use the scoop and level method of measuring? Those are the most accurate ways to measure flour. Dipping the measuring cup into the flour bin causes it to compact and will cause you to add more flour than the recipe calls for. There is a photo tutorial on the blog post. Did your dough look like mine. If it looks different and isn't soft, it's most likely the flour. I hope that helps. Please feel free to reach out if you want to troubleshoot more. I'm always happy to help. Thanks.
Sarah says
Wanting to try this recipe but have previously used bread flour for Cinnamon rolls. I notice you use plain flour. Can bread flour be used?
Thank you
Tara Teaspoon Admin says
Hi Sarah! That's a great question and I'm glad you asked. It's not recommended to use bread flour for this recipe because it has more protein in it than all-purpose flour. The extra protein will make a stronger gluten network (which is great for chewy, springy bread!) resulting in drier cinnamon rolls. The goal for this recipe is pillowy softness which you'll get with all-purpose flour. I hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!