Indulge in a continuous swirl of cinnamon and brown sugar encased with tender, homemade dough. Creamy cinnamon frosting seeping down into every cinnamon crevice.
This Cinnamon Roll Ring is a totally different take on your typical everyday cinnamon roll.
It is one continuous spiral of buttery cinnamon filling that is in every single layer of made-from-scratch dough. Then it’s all drenched with whipped Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!
Oh, and this frosting… is so cinnamon-y delicious! If you’re a frosting lover like I am, you’ll be licking this frosting bowl clean. It’s really THAT good!
I’ve created a way for you (and me!) to have homemade cinnamon action without having to wait all day from start to finish. All of this deliciousness could be done from start to finish in your mouth in about an hour.
So, making this amazing ring of cinnamon is seriously simple! .
It’s all made with tender, melt in your mouth, homemade dough. But don’t let the homemade part scare you. You can do this! I’ll take you through the steps.
If this is your first time working with yeast, no need to feel intimidated. Trust me, it’ll be your best friend– not your enemy. I LOVE baking with yeast so much and I STILL jump with excitement when the shining star (i.e. YEAST) has puffed up my recipes! It’s so rewarding.
The dough comes together quickly.
This isn’t an all day adventure of letting the dough rise a hundred different times before you get to do something with it. By adding the dry active yeast to sugar and warm water… it drifts off into it’s own little zone. The proofing zone. Just sit and watch the science project do it’s thing (foam). All while you get your flour and other ingredients ready, of course. And within minutes, you’ll have proofed yeast that has bubbled up and ready to add to the flour.
Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes after kneading it. Because resting the dough relaxes the gluten and allows it to become tender after baked. It also relaxes the gluten enough to spread out and not retract. It’s always lovely when a relaxed ball of dough can cooperate.
While the ball of dough is resting it’s gluten, prepare the melted buttery cinnamon filling. Smell the cinnamon goodness!
Roll out the dough to about half an inch thick and spread on the {amazing} filling.
Cut into 1 inch strips all the way across. If you’ve got a pizza slicer, use it!
There’s really no specific number of how many strips you come up with. Just go until there’s no more cutting.
Start with the first strip of covered dough and place in the middle of the round baking dish with the cinnamon side going in towards the center.
Continue with all the strips of dough until you’ve reached to the outer edges. Be sure to keep them tucked down to the bottom of the pan.
Sometimes, I have a few extra pieces of strips that don’t quite fit into the pan with the others. You can discard them OR use a small baking dish and make a teeny weeny individual Cinnamon Roll Ring!
Bake and watch it puff right up into magical decadence!
Now it’s time to make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!
Spin all the ingredients together…
Now you’ve got ribbons of creamy cinnamon frosting ready to drizzle all over the warm (and puffy) baked goodness!
Or you could do what I always do…
And forget the drizzle business.
Drench it.
Into every crevice.
Dive in.
Select any size of piece that you wish…
Enjoy!
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (or one 1/4 ounce envelope package) active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup milk, scalded
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 1/2-3/4 cups bread flour (extra for dusting under the rolled out dough)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (or 2 tablespoons of milk)
- 2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar (depending on how you like the consistency.)
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- Combine yeast, granulated sugar and warm water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside in a warm place for about ten minutes. (A draft-free warm place is your microwave! Sit it in with a cup or bowl of hot water and just shut the door.) Once the yeast mixture has proofed (doubled in foam), stir in honey.
- Scald milk and add cold butter to it. Butter will melt and cool down the milk at the same time. Set aside.
- Add yeast mixture to a large mixing bowl with the 2 cups of the flour and salt. Also add beaten egg and milk/butter mixture. Gently stir with a wooden spoon. If using your mixer, use the dough hook and mix on low.
- Once the flour mixture has incorporated in with the wet ingredients, slowly add in the rest of the flour, a little at a time. (You may not need all of the measured flour.) Continue to mix on low speed (or take out and knead by hand) for about 4-6 minutes. Add a tablespoon of flour at a time, if needed. As to make sure the dough is completely pulled away from the bottom of the bowl and no longer sticky.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes, uncovered or you can set your empty bowl upside down onto the dough.
- For the filling, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll out the rested ball of dough on the lightly floured surface to about half an inch thick. Spread the filling evenly all across the rolled dough, to the edges. Cut into 1 inch strips all the way across.
- In a prepared (sprayed with non-stick) 9 inch round baking dish, start with the first strip of covered dough and place in the middle of the baking dish with the cinnamon side going in towards the center. Continue with all the strips of dough until youโve reached to the outer edges. Be sure to keep them tucked down to the bottom of the pan. (If you end up with a few extra strips that won't fit, put in a smaller baking dish and prepare the same way.)
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Beat the softened cream cheese and vanilla for about 1 minute on medium high speed. Alternate the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until the right consistency. Add cinnamon.You may want to add more powdered sugar to make it thicker or to your liking.
- Spread on the icing as soon as the cinnamon roll ring comes out of the oven. By doing this, the frosting starts to melt in between all of the swirling crevices.
- Slice into individual servings.
- Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat or serve at room temperature.
- May prepare this the day before. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate right away. Before baking the next day, take off plastic wrap and bring to room temperature. Bake for the same amount of time suggested above. Frosting may be made the day before, as well.
Here are a few more quick and easy cinnamon ideas…
Cinnamon French Toast with Cream Cheese Glaze
Oh my goodness…I must try that giant cinnamon roll. I’ve never used yeast…but, you are motivating me to try! Thx for sharing the recipe. I pinned it!
Oh please give it a try… it’s so much easier than you think! (I promise!) ๐ xo
You just made my day. I think im going to try baking this for my school i volunteer at. The staff would go crazy!
Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel recently posted…Fruit and Yogurt Parfait Fuel
Have so much fun making this, Kelsey! They are going to love it… and you, as well! ๐
This looks fantastic. I’ve never used yeast in a recipe that did not require a rising time. I’m intrigued and looking forward to trying this.
Mary, you are going to love this part about making the recipe. The initial *rising* is the yeast proofing (with the mixture of warm water and sugar). And, then it just takes off from there. When you start working with the dough, you’ll begin to quickly notice it rising as you’re working with it. (Notice the image when I was starting to line up the strips of dough in the center of the cast iron… the middle piece, which is my first strip laid down, is already starting to rise.) So, as soon as you set it in the hot oven, the active yeast (in the dough) will go crazy and puff right up the moment it goes in there.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend! xo
Looks amazing! So yummy! I would finish it whole myself ๐
Medeja recently posted…ล okoladinis Tortas su Mฤtiniu Kremu/ Brownie Cake with Mint Buttercream
Medeja, definitely admitting it quietly over here that it’s been succeeded in being devoured all in one sitting… by one person! (LOL) ๐
Omg, this is like one giant cinnamon roll. And it’s totally single serving, right? Love that you put cinnamon in the frosting.
Laura Dembowski recently posted…Easy Easter Solutions with White Chocolate Clusters
No such thing as cinnamon over load, right?! Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend, Laura! xo
Love that you made this in a skillet! So unique and delicious ๐
Medha @ Whisk & Shout recently posted…5 Healthful Ways to Use Your Smartphone!
Thanks so much, Medha! I’m so in love with my skillets/cast irons! The cinnamon doesn’t even get saturated in the iron… love that part. ๐
HAPPY ST.PATTY’S DAY TO YOU!
Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel recently posted…Crunchy Dill Crispy Minis
It’s not even funny how good this looks. I could do some serious damage here! YUM!!!
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds recently posted…Lemon Coconut Granola Bars
Oh my god. No words. I need this in my life every morning!
Oh my goodness, Gloria. THIS is why I bought a mini cast iron skillet. Now I’ll have to get 3 more because I’m not sharing if I make this beauty! YUM!
Sara @ Bitz & Giggles recently posted…Easter Peep Hatchlings
Hands down the best recipe I have seen all day. All week. Probably this month. NO LIE!
Kelley recently posted…Blueberry Banana Bread
Oh my, this looks amazing! I’d like to dive right into a bowl of that cinnamon frosting!
Kristine @ Kristine’s Kitchen recently posted…{10 Minute} No-Bake Granola Bars
Oh my gosh! That filling AND that icing look to die for good!!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) recently posted…Easter Peeps Dirt Pudding Cups
Cinnamon Rolls are my absolute weakness and when I opened up to this my jaw literally dropped! Ahhhh, I need this in my life like.. NOW. Dying over all of that gooey cinnamon!
This looked so good and I was wondering if I could use regular flour?
Yes, all purpose flour will do just fine. Enjoy!
I can’t wait to make these cinnamon rolls this weekend. We just moved and the mixer has been in storage…This will be my first chance to make anything with my trusty Kitchenaid.
Doug (the kitchen professor) recently posted…Best Hunting Knife Sharpener
You’ll especially love this in YOUR cast iron! ๐ Thanks so much, Doug and have a great weekend using the trusty Kitchenaid. (I’ve had mine for 15 years now… and it’s used A LOT.)