A hybrid between a croissant and a cinnamon roll: here’s everything you love about cinnamon rolls but instead of a purely plush bread roll, you’ll get flaky buttery croissant layers.
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 42 minutesminutes
Rest & Chill Time 16 hourshours
Servings 12large rolls
Ingredients
Butter block
113g or ½ cupg buttersoftened slightly
Dough
240g or 1 cup milk
40g or ⅓ cup all purpose flour
60g or ¼ cup warm water
7g or 1 packet instant yeast
500g or 4 cups all purpose flour
105g or ½ cup granulated sugar
2large eggs
60g or ¼ cup canola or flavorless oil or melted butter
½tspfine sea salt
Filling
113g or ½ cup butter
210g or 1 cupbrown sugar
1tablespoonground cinnamon
Glaze
1 ¼cupspowdered sugar
2teaspoonspure vanilla paste or extract
Pinchfine sea salt
2-3tablespoonsmilk
Instructions
In a pot, whisk together the ⅓ cup flour and the milk. Let cook until thickened, stirring as needed - this is the 'flour paste'. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the yeast and warm water, sprinkle a pinch of sugar over it and stir. Leave it until it foams, about 3 minutes.
Add the remaining flour and dough ingredients to the bowl then add the flour paste keeping the paste on one side of the bowl and the eggs on the other. Begin kneading on low speed then work up to medium speed and knead for about 5-7 minutes until the dough comes together in a sticky ball. Set in an oiled bowl and cover to rise for about 2 hours (until doubled in size).
Meanwhile make the butter block:
Spread the butter into a thin layer between two sheets of parchment paper, do your best to get it to be about 9x12”. Set it in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes before you start folding.
First fold:
On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 13x18”. Place the butter about half an inch from one side of the dough. It might take some work to get it off the parchment, do your best. Use your fingers to smear it into an even layer.
Fold the dough in half, like you’re closing a book.
Use your fingers to press the edges so the butter stays sealed.
Now fold it like a letter, bring the bottom third up and over the middle.
Then the top over the middle as well.
Now fold the dough over itself like you’re closing a book again. Wrap in plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to rest.
Second fold:
Roll out the dough again into a large rectangle, as thin as you can get it (aim for another 13x18 but it probably won’t go that far).
Fold it over from one of the shorter sides over the middle (like a letter but vertical).
Fold the other side over the middle.
Fold the bottom up so you have more of a square.
Wrap in plastic wrap and set in the fridge for about 45 minutes.
Filling & Shaping
Melt or brown the butter, then combine with the sugar and cinnamon.
Try rolling out the dough into a large rectangle again, if it is very tough and resists cover it with a tea towel and let it rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes. You can also try stretching it with your hands & knuckles like a pizza dough.
Grease a 9x13 cake pan (I like to use the back of the butter wrapper).
Spread the filling over the dough and roll it up into a log.
Use unwaxed dental floss to slice the dough into about 1” rounds. Place each round into the pan, leaving an inch between them.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 12 hours.
In the morning, take the pan out of the fridge and leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the rolls for about 40 minutes, until dark and golden.
To glaze
Whisk all the ingredients together then spoon and spread over the rolls.
Video
Notes
Note: If you would like crispy layers all around and all the way through (not just on top and bottom) bake these on a cookie sheet and give them more room to spread. They will likely bake quicker, check them at 25 minutes.