Cinnamon rolls: A sweet treat from Swedish roots to American favourites

The first cinnamon rolls, kanelbullar, were created in Sweden right after the end of World War II. They were made based on a delicate yeast dough with a buttery filling containing cinnamon and cardamom.

They only appeared in America in the 1980s, where they immediately became a hit, thanks to the Cinnabon coffee shop chain specializing in cinnamon rolls. Like the Swedish original, the rolls are made from delicate yeast dough, but the filling consists only of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, with a sweet icing spread over the baked pastry.

The basis of cinnamon rolls is yeast dough. The best versions contain both milk and butter—a large amount of butter. Unfortunately, yeast dough with added fat takes much longer to rise than classic dough. The rising time is about 2 to 3 hours. It is not worth shortening this time because underproof dough, after baking, will not be soft and fluffy but complex and even doughy.

After preparing the dough, it's time for the filling. The basic recipe for the filling is melted butter, brown sugar, and powdered cinnamon. In the Swedish version, cardamom is also added, but you can add other spices as well. Don't have time to knead yeast dough? Use the following recipe for cinnamon rolls, which doesn't require kneading or waiting. You will fall in love with them from the first bite.

Ingredients:

                    
• 1 large egg,
• 340 ml of milk,
• 60 ml of oil,
• 340 g of flour,
• 1 teaspoon of sugar,
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder,
• 4 heaping tablespoons of softened butter,
• 1 tablespoon of milk,
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon,
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar,
• Optional: icing, honey, maple syrup, roasted apples.

Preparation:

1. Start by preparing the pancakes. Place the flour, milk, egg, oil, sugar, and baking powder in a tall bowl. Blend all the ingredients into a smooth mass. After mixing, put it in the refrigerator and take care of the filling.
2. In a small bowl, combine the butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a tablespoon of milk. Pipe the mixture into a piping bag.
3. Prepare a pan with a lid. Heat it, and then pour the pancake batter onto it.
4. Squeeze some of the butter-cinnamon mixture onto the top of the frying pancakes. Don't skimp on it. Reduce the heat and cover the pan with the lid.
5. Such pancakes will be as delicate as buns. Transfer them to a plate and serve with honey, icing, roasted apples, or on their own.