Metro Weekly

Savor Recipe: Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls

Warm from the oven, gooey with frosting, and with a couple of unusual ingredients

cardamom cinnamon rolls
Cardamom Cinnamon Roll — Photo: Craig Bowman

I don’t think there are many things better than a really good cinnamon roll. Warm from the oven, gooey with frosting, and perhaps an unusual ingredient or two. This is one of those recipes.

I wish I could say that it’s mine, but it is another awesome offering from the chef I’m currently stalking: TikTok’s @Sadd_Papi. The combination of cardamom and maple in these rolls is going to knock your socks off.

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 cup of warm milk
  • 1 package of instant dry yeast
  • 4½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup melted, unsalted butter
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp salt
  • For the Filling
  • ¾ cups light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ cup softened, unsalted butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream

For the Frosting

  • 12 oz softened cream cheese
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • ½ cup real maple syrup

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Warm the milk to about 110º and add to the bowl of a stand mixer with yeast. Let sit 5 minutes. Add melted butter and eggs and mix well.

2. Add flour one cup at a time, stirring gently after each addition until combined. Let flour hydrate for a few minutes and then knead on medium speed using the dough hook for about 5 minutes (10 minutes by hand).

3. Cover the dough ball with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.

4. Punch down the dough and roll into a 12″x15″ rectangle on a well-floured board. Spread the softened butter over the top.

5. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom and sprinkle evenly over the butter.

6. Tightly roll the dough longwise and cut into 10-12 slices.

7. Place rolls into a buttered baking dish and let rise another 20 minutes.

8. Just before baking, pour the cream over the rolls and bake until golden brown (15-18 minutes). Allow rolls to cool slightly before slathering on the frosting.

9. For the frosting, add bourbon to a saucepan and reduce by half over medium heat. Add the syrup and allow to cool. Mix in the softened cream cheese until smooth.

Questions? Text to Craig at 202-217-0996 or email Savor@metroweekly.com.

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