Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls

Have you been dreaming of gooey cast iron cinnamon rolls slathered in a decadent cream cheese frosting? Then you have found the right place! This delicious from-scratch treat can be served as a sweet breakfast, a special Christmas morning treat, or a rich dessert. However you choose to serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!

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Table of Contents

• What makes these cinnamon rolls gooey?
  • How do you make the cast iron cinnamon rolls gooey while baking?
  • What makes the cinnamon roll filling gooey?
• Why use a cast iron pan?
• Ingredients for Gooey Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls
• Steps to Making the Gooey Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls
  • Step One: Prepare the Dough
  • Step Two: Prepare the Filling
  • Step Three: Roll and Cut the Cinnamon Rolls
  • Step Four: Bake the Cinnamon Rolls and Prepare the Glaze
• Why do cast iron gooey cinnamon rolls need to rise twice?
• Here’s what you’ll need to make these:
• Don’t forget to save this for later!
• More Sweet Treats:

What makes these cinnamon rolls gooey?

There are two main ingredients contributing to the gooey(ness) of these delicious cast iron cinnamon rolls. Let’s talk about them more.

How do you make the cast iron cinnamon rolls gooey while baking?

These cinnamon rolls are covered in a layer of rich whole milk prior to baking, allowing them to soak up the moisture of the milk and all of its creamy goodness before baking. We prefer to use the milk from our family milk cow, August, but store milk will work, as will heavy cream. Keeping the cinnamon rolls moist is key to producing gooey cinnamon rolls.

What makes the cinnamon roll filling gooey?

I’ve found that keeping the butter softened but not melted is the best way to keep these cinnamon rolls gooey. Spreading the softened, but not melted butter onto the dough, and then sprinkling with the cinnamon sugar mixture allows the butter to melt during baking, giving it an extra boost of gooey-ness.

Why use a cast iron pan?

I love using my cast iron pan to make these gooey cinnamon rolls for a couple of reasons. First of all, a cast iron holds heat extremely well, allowing for an evenly baked cinnamon roll. You don’t have to worry about the cinnamon rolls in the center of the pan being undercooked and the outside cinnamon rolls being overcooked. A cast iron pan keeps everything cooking evenly together.

Secondly, a well seasoned cast iron pan is going to give you easy to remove cinnamon rolls, so you won’t have to worry about trying to scrape them out after they’ve baked.

Cast iron also has a nostalgia factor to it as well. Cooking on pans that have been used for generations and generations brings a specialness to the baking process that can’t be beat.

Ingredients for Gooey Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls

• Milk: We really like the creamy texture of whole milk, which we are lucky enough to get from our family milk cow
• Yeast (dry and active)
• Eggs
• Butter
• Sugar
• Flour
• Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon (of course!)
• Cream Cheese
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla (we use our own homemade vanilla. (Find the recipe for homemade vanilla here)

Steps to Making the Gooey Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls

The whole process is pretty easy, though it does take some time as these gooey cast iron cinnamon rolls require two rising periods.

Step One: Prepare the Dough

1. Warm your milk to a lukewarm temperature. You’ll want it to be warm, but definitely not hot. The warmth of the milk is what will help activate the yeast.
2. Whisk in the eggs, butter, and sugar. Mix completely.
3. Slowly add in the flour, one cup at a time. The amount of flour that you actually use will vary based on how your dough feels. You’ll be looking for a dough that is tacky, but not sticky. It should not be covering/sticking all over your hands after kneading it, but it should still be a tacky texture. Finding the perfect dough consistency takes some practice and trial and error, but once you figure out what it feels like exactly, you’ll remember forever!
4. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, adding more flour in as needed (if it becomes too sticky). Knead your dough into a rounded ball, then return to a greased bowl to allow it to rise. A good way to get your bread to rise quickly is by placing your dough in a sunny spot in the house, or turning the oven onto the lowest temperature, then once it’s preheated, turn it off and place the dough inside to rise. If the temperature is too hot, it will kill the yeast and no rising action will happen at all! You want a warm, dark place to allow the rising to happen.
5. Allow the dough to double in size. This should take between 20-30 minutes. Don’t think that a longer rise is better- it’s not. The longer the rise, the more airy the cinnamon rolls will be. We want a chewy, gooey texture, so just allow the dough to rise long enough to double.

Step Two: Prepare the Filling

1. Now that the dough is risen and a fluffy ball of air, you’ll want to punch it down.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it a few times to remove any air bubbles that might have formed.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a long rectangle. If you have a cookie sheet, that can work great for this!
4. Roll your dough out to be about 1/2 inch thick. A little more or a little less won’t hurt anything, but around the 1/2 inch mark is your goal.
5. Spread your softened butter on the dough, covering it completely.
6. Next, mix your cinnamon and sugar together.
7. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mix generously over the entire buttered dough.

Step Three: Roll and Cut the Cinnamon Rolls

1. As tightly as you can, roll the cinnamon rolls up. You’ll want to roll the long side up towards the other long side of your rectangle.
2. Using a very sharp knife, cut your cinnamon rolls into 12 equal pieces. I’ve found the easiest way to do this is to cut the log in half, then cut each half into thirds, then cut the thirds in half. This helps keep the rolls about the same size.
3. Place the rolls in your gently greased cast iron pan. Be sure to leave a little room for rising within the pan. I always end up using two cast iron pans to complete this, but you can always do your cinnamon rolls in batches.
4. Cover your cinnamon rolls with a towel, and allow them to rise for about 15-20 minutes or until they are almost doubled in size.
5. After they’ve risen, pour the milk over the top of the rolls, allowing it to fill in the cracks of the rolls.

Step Four: Bake the Cinnamon Rolls and Prepare the Glaze

1. Bake the cinnamon rolls at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Watch your rolls carefully. They should sound hollow when you tap them when they are done and be slightly tanned.
2. As the cinnamon rolls bake and fill your kitchen with a heavenly aroma, you’ll want to prepare the frosting glaze.
3. Using a hand mixer, mix together your cream cheese, vanilla, butter, powdered sugar, and water. You will want a glaze that is spreadable, so you’ll add more or less water depending on the consistency of the frosting.
4. Spread the glaze over the top of the warm rolls, allowing it to melt into all of the cracks and crevices.
5. Dive in! These cinnamon rolls are amazing fresh and warm from the oven.

Why do cast iron gooey cinnamon rolls need to rise twice?

This is a great question! Basically the rising that is happening is the by-product of the yeast actively working. When you mix yeast into your dough, the yeast begins feeding on the flour, specifically the sugars in the flour. This yeast feast causes a release of carbon dioxide, which then creates the rising of the dough as it fills up with this air. When you punch the dough down after the first rise, you’re giving the yeast more time to work and break down the flour, which creates the lighter and chewier texture you’re familiar with when you eat leavened breads and baked goods! Interesting, right?!

Here’s what you’ll need to make these:

• Cast Iron Pans
• Rolling Pin
• Hand Mixer
• Pastry Brush
• Mixing Bowls

Don’t forget to save this for later!