BAKLAVA CINNAMON ROLLS

Cinnamon rolls are truly so special to me and my whole family always looks forward to enjoying fresh batches of mine each holiday season. In fact, about this time last year I created a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls which was a satisfying exploration of how to reel in pumpkin spice, whose craze has become out of control, by combining it with the most traditional of cinnamon roll recipes. This batch of rolls goes in a slightly different direction, this time seeking to elevate cinnamon rolls through the inspiration of baklava. I wanted to find a way to incorporate walnuts into a cinnamon roll recipe, and not only is the walnut-filled baklava one of my all-time favorite desserts, but it also really shows what walnuts are capable of. There are truly so many reasons I enjoy using walnuts during this time of year. They’re taste is so rich and exquisite that they pair perfectly with any holiday dish of equal complexity. It’s because of this that they also elevate the flavor profile of virtually any meal to which they’re added, savory or sweet. Walnuts are clearly delightful all year, but they make the holidays particularly special.

Baklava is perfect for this because, besides being a wonderful showcase for walnuts, it also coincides with their rich history as well. Recipes for baklava have been discovered from as far back as 2,200 years ago in the Middle East, during which time walnuts heavily circulated in the cuisine of that very part of the world and ancient Greek physicians even wrote of their health benefits in their medical writings. During our travels through the Middle East baklava was impossible to miss in all its beautiful variations. The cities in this part of the world intermix the ancient and the modern extremely well, and you can just feel how things have been around forever while also being new. Because of this baklava was both undeniably a delicious fresh treat while at the same time something of a delicate relic.

So, it’s really special to be working with ingredients and techniques so ancient, whereas cinnamon rolls are comparatively quite new, originating in Europe only a couple hundred years ago at the most. What’s fascinating about baklava inspiring my cinnamon rolls is that, upon closer inspection, the two actually follow a similar basic principle even though their separation consists of both years and miles by the thousands. This principle they both follow is simply the repeated application of layers of dough, in between which a sweet filling is placed. It’s really interesting how baklava and cinnamon rolls accomplish this in virtually opposite ways however you look at it. Baklava is made with unleavened dough, cinnamon rolls with yeasted dough. The layers of baklava are thin, straight, and several, whereas the layers of cinnamon rolls are thick, curved, and singular. Baklava’s filling rests horizontally as though sandwiched, while the filling of cinnamon rolls rests vertically as though between walls. And yet, despite this difference they share so much similarity, and this makes their combination so pleasant.

Given the directionality of this inspiration from baklava to cinnamon rolls, I prioritized the form of the rolls and the flavor of the baklava. Of course, everything is mixed in the midst of this prioritization, but this makes it all the better. The filling combines the two with a generous amount of walnuts alongside a solid dusting of cinnamon, while the glaze combines the two with loads of honey mixed into cream cheese. The result is like the best of both worlds with the sacrifice of neither—these rolls can enrich my Christmas morning as much as they can evoke my Middle Eastern memories. Follow the recipe below for a fun and fascinating holiday baked treat!

Thank you to California Walnuts for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Ingredients for the Rolls

Yields 12 Rolls

1 cup whole milk, warmed to 100°F-110°F

¼ cup + 1 tbs granulated sugar, divided

2 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

6 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temp & beaten

2 ½ tsp vanilla extract

3 ½ -4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the Filling

6 oz light brown sugar

1 tbs ground cinnamon,

2 tbs unsalted butter, melted

⅔ cup walnut pieces

Ingredients for the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Enough for 12 Rolls

8 oz Cream Cheese, room temp

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 tbs honey

3-4 tbs powdered sugar

pinch of kosher salt

Equipment

Standing mixer with hook attachment, and whisk attachment, large bowl, saucepan, thermometer, small bowl, rolling pin. A 13" x 9" x 1" high sheet pan to bake all 12 rolls at once.

Method

For the dough—In a large bowl whisk together 3 1/2 cups flour, sea salt, and cinnamon; set aside. Set the remaining ½ cup of flour aside.

Gently warm the milk in a saucepan or the microwave to 100-110F°, or to your yeast manufacturer’s recommendation. Add the warmed milk, 1 tbs granulated sugar, and the yeast to a small bowl. Gently mix, and let stand until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

While the yeast is proofing, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the melted butter, pumpkin puree, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the yeast mixture and mix on low to combine.

Stop the mixer and add the flour mix on medium-low speed. Once it turns into a sticky dough, stop the mixer and switch to a dough hook. Continue mixing the dough on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and check the dough. It should be soft and slightly sticky, but not so much that it sticks aggressively to your hands. If the dough seems too tacky, continue to add in the remaining flour in tablespoon increments. You may not need all the flour, so check the tackiness of the dough after each addition. The dough will be soft and should clear the sides of the bowl but will still slightly stick to the bottom of the bowl.

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. You could use the same bowl you mixed it in, as it should be pretty clean. Place the dough in a warm, draft-free place. The oven or microwave are two great places. Let dough rise for 1-2 hours, or until double its size.

Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly punch down the dough. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, then roll out into a 18 x 12-inch rectangle.

For the filling, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush melted butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one side. Next, evenly scatter the walnut pieces over the sugar filling. With your rolling pin, lightly roll over the sugar/nut mixture to help pack it into the dough.

Roll the dough lengthwise up from bottom to top, making sure to tuck and pull as you roll.

Run a moistened finger along the ½-inch edge of the dough without filling, and pinch to seal the edge. Cut into 12 pieces. They should be just over 1-inch thick. Place the rolls into a lightly greased 13" x 9" x 1"-inch baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another 1-2 hours, or until double its size.

Depending on how quickly the rolls are rising, heat oven to 350 F°. Place the rolls in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown on top. You don’t want to brown the rolls too much as this will make them harder when they cool.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add the honey, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt, and beat until smooth. Taste and add any additional honey or powdered sugar as needed.

Pour the glaze over the warm cinnamon buns and enjoy every bite!