Cinnamon Pinwheels with Cream Cheese Icing

Preperation time
1 hour 30 m
Skills level

Serving size
11 pinwheels
Country of origin

Preparation time: 1 hour 30 m
Cooking time: 25-30 m
Servings: 11 pinwheels

Ingredients

  • Dough Ingredients:
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk, warmed
  • 1 packet quick rise yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup water (a little at a time)
  • Cinnamon Filling:
  • 1/2 stick salted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • pastry brush
  • Cream Cheese Icing:
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup or more powdered sugar
  • dash cinnamon
  • drizzle milk
Recipe Type:
Course:

These are so cinnamony and delicious. You will love these. Be sure to make the dough in advance, as it has to rise for about 45 minutes. I will typically turn my oven on 350 degrees and place the dough back into the stand mixer bowl and cover tightly. Then place the bowl on the stove top toward back of the oven to rise. After 15 minutes or more I will turn off my oven. This usually provides a warm spot for the dough to rise and double. Here are the simple directions. As with any dough, practice makes perfect!

First, add yeast to warm water and stir. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer along with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.  Let this sit for 5 minutes. In the meantime, measure 31/2 cups flour. Add the flour and salt to the stand mixer bowl along with warmed milk.  Heat milk in microwave for 30 seconds. Add the hook attachment to stand mixer and mix on low. Drizzle in water a little at a time until the dough starts to form – you may have some water leftover.

If it’s too sticky add more flour ~ a tablespoon at at time or if it’s too wet add more flour ~ a tablespoon at a time until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer to a clean and floured work surface. Alternatively, you may mix this by hand.

Next, knead dough for 5 minutes using excess flour as needed so it doesn’t stick. Then lightly drizzle olive oil in the bowl, add the dough to bowl and tightly cover. Place on stove top to rise and double. Remember it needs a warm place to rise. This step will take about 45 minutes.

Making the Icing:

In bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar, a dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of milk until you have achieved a creamy, rich icing. The milk will loosen the icing. If you have loosened it too much, add more powdered sugar or if it’s too thick to drizzle, add more milk. Set this aside or refrigerate but be sure to take it out about 30 minutes before you serve the pinwheels so that it sits at room temperature.

Making the Filling:

Warm the butter so it’s easy to brush onto the dough sheet. Combine the light and dark brown sugars, and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix well. Set this aside while you roll dough sheet out.

Rolling the Dough Sheet:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a large 14-inch wide by 18-inch long rectangle. Brush on the warmed butter using the pastry brush. Sprinkle the filling onto the rectangle and smear onto dough covering the entire surface area.

Next, roll the dough tightly and cut, using a sharp knife, into 11, 1 1/2-inch wide pinwheels or for larger pinwheels, cut 15-16 pinwheels 1-inch wide.

Place on a baking dish – round or rectangle work fine. Cover for 30-45 minutes so they puff up. Again, place on stovetop where it’s warm.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Turn halfway through the baking process. Pull one from center to check for doneness.

Once they are done, drizzle on the icing and enjoy with coffee!

Note: If you stir the yeast in the warm water and it is not dissolving, you could have expired yeast so check the package. It should be completely dissolved and foamy.