Cast Iron Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

soft inside texture of fluffy buttermilk cinnamon rolls

Cast Iron Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

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Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 30

Cooling & Assembly Time: 5

Total Time: 2 35

Servings: rolls

Calories: 726kcal

Author: Meiko Temple

Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls:

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon warm buttermilk (110 degrees)
1 (.25 oz) packet active dry yeast
3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
1 large egg lightly beaten, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White All Purpose Flour

Cinnamon Filling:

2 cups dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter melted, divided

Additional Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil to oil bowl for dough
¼ Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White All Purpose Flour to roll out the dough
1 tablespoon unsalted butter to oil the cast iron

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 oz. cream cheese softened, room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Recipe Prep:

Start by reading the full recipe + recipe notes and prep ingredients as instructed.

Make Dough

Add buttermilk to microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Buttermilk should be warm to touch between 105 to 110°F. Transfer warm buttermilk to the bowl of the stand mixer and stir in yeast, a pinch of sugar. Cover with a towel and set aside for 5 minutes to allow yeast to dissolve and foam up.
Add remaining sugar, eggs, butter, salt, and vanilla and stir until mixed well. Add in 1 cup of flour and attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. On low speed, begin to knead the dough for 1 minute. Gradually add 1 cup at a time, and allow flour to knead for 1 minute between additions. After pouring in the last of the flour and ball starts to form, increase to medium speed and continue to knead for 6 minutes more. Dough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. [see notes how to make dough without a stand mixer]

Dough 1st Rise

Add oil to a large bowl and brush along the sides. Transfer dough ball to the bowl and toss in residual oil to ensure that it is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel.
Heat oven to 170°F. Once the oven reaches temperature turn off the heat and wait 5 minutes. Add covered bowl to the oven (ensure that the heat is off) and allow dough to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Make Filling + 2nd Rise

Punch dough down to release any air that has built up. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead to form smooth ball (1 minute). With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough into a 18x11 inch rectangle, long side facing you. Use about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter to brush the dough all over.
In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and remaining melted butter. Sprinkle mixture across the buttered dough leaving about ½ inch border at the top edge. Then lightly press the sugar mixture into the dough so that it sticks.
Tightly roll dough away from you into a firm 18-inch log. Pinch the seam and the ends closed then roll the seam side down making sure to seal the edges.
Before cutting, score the log into approximately 2 inch sections then use a serrated knife to cut 9 large pieces.
Grease 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of room temerature butter. Arrange 9 cinnamon roll pieces in prepared skillet. Cover buns tightly with plastic wrap and a towel and place in a warm, dry spot for 40 minutes (you can use the 170°F oven method again) or until they have doubled in volume. Then remove from the oven, remove plastic wrap and set aside until ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer uncovered cinnamon rolls to the oven middle rack and bake for 20-30 minutes. Once golden brown, remove from the oven and cool on wire rack for at least 5 minutes.
While rolls bake, mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt, in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or by hand until smooth. Icing should be thick enough to spread. Once rolls are finished baking, allow to cool for 5 minutes before smearing icing evenly over each roll. Enjoy warm!

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Notes

To help the dough rise faster: While you are preparing your dough, turn the oven on and heat to 170 degrees, and then turn it off. Let oven set for five minutes then transfer the rolls to the oven to rise. Remove from the oven after the suggested time has expired.

Here are a few adjustments you can make to the recipe to make the dough without a stand mixer:

In step 1, instead of adding the warm buttermilk to the bowl of a stand mixer, you can add it to a large mixing bowl.
In step 2, add the yeast and a pinch of sugar to the mixing bowl with the warm buttermilk. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes.
In step 3, add the remaining sugar, eggs, melted butter, salt, and vanilla to the mixing bowl with the yeast mixture. Stir until well combined.
In step 4, gradually add the flour to the mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the dough comes together and forms a ball.
In step 5, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

After following these adjustments, you can continue with the recipe as written from step 6.

Nutrition

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

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