Ube Cinnamon Rolls

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These ube cinnamon rolls are SO fluffy, ooey gooey, made with real ube, and not-too-sweet! The dough is enriched with ube extract, with swirls of ube jam, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and topped with a delicious ube cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Proofing Time3

Total Time3 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cinnamon rolls

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Bianca Fernandez

Equipment

Kitchen scale/measuring cups
Measuring spoons
small bowl for heavy cream mixture
2 medium bowl for yeast mixture and filling
large bowl for proofing dough
Stand mixer hook attachment for dough, paddle attachment for filling and frosting
whisk
plastic wrap or kitchen towel
9"x13" baking pan see notes

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough:

1 cup whole milk warmed
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons ube extract
2 eggs room temperature
4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt or table salt
½ cup unsalted butter softened

Ube Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling:

½ cup ube halaya can use store-bought ube jam!
⅓ cup brown sugar packed; light or dark
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ube extract

Heavy Cream Mixture:

⅓ cup heavy cream room temperature
½ tablespoon brown sugar packed; light or dark
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ube extract

Ube Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese softened
½-1 cup powdered sugar adjust to taste
1 teaspoon ube extract

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

For the enriched dough:

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup whole milk (warmed), ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, and 2 teaspoons ube extract. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until yeast is activated and mixture is frothy.
In a stand mixer fitted with hook attachment, add 2 eggs, 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 4 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt, and yeast mixture. Mix on medium low speed until dough forms.
While mixing on medium low speed, add ½ cup unsalted butter a tablespoon at a time, every 30 seconds. Continue mixing for 8-10 minutes, or until dough passes the windowpane test.
To do the windowpane test, take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it. If it is kneaded enough, it should be translucent enough to see light passing through.
Transfer dough to a large bowl, lightly cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5-2 hours (or overnight in the fridge!).

For assembly:

In a medium bowl, mix together ½ cup ube halaya, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon ube extract until combined.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 18"x-12" rectangle. Evenly spread ube filling. Cut twelve 1 ½-inch strips.
Gently roll each strip into a tight roll, placing each one in a 9"x13" baking pan. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours. In the last 5-10 minutes, preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.

Bake cinnamon rolls:

In a small bowl, mix ⅓ cup heavy cream, ½ tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ube extract until combined. Pour all over cinnamon rolls.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until rolls are no longer doughy in the middle.
In the last few minutes of baking, make the frosting: in your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix softened 8 ounces cream cheese, ½-1 cup powdered sugar (adjust to taste), and 1 teaspoon ube extract until fully combined.
Let cinnamon rolls cool for about 5 minutes, then spread on cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Pan size:

For this recipe, I cut 12 equal pieces and arranged them 3x4 in a 9 inch by 13 inch pan. I've also used the same recipe to cut 9 equal pieces and arranged them 3x3 in a 9-inch square pan!

Baking tip:

Weigh your ingredients! One of my favorite kitchen tools is a kitchen scale because it’s more accurate than measuring by volume. If you use cups, spoon the flour in gently, then level it with a knife or spatula.

Storage instructions:

Refrigeration instructions: Store cooled ube cinnamon buns in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Freezing instructions: Store cooled ube cinnamon buns (with or without frosting) in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition