Peanut butter cinnamon rolls

Time for the first post of the year...how exciting!  In 2016, I hope to continue to do what I've been doing here - trying recipes that appeal to me and hopefully discovering some new family favorites in the process.  At this point, we pretty much know what we like so the same themes will generally prevail...in other words, there will be lots of chocolate and I'll be keeping an eye out for simple yet scrumptious recipes.  For the most part, the blog's focus will stay on the sweet side of happenings in my kitchen. While I actually cook more than I bake in "real" life, this blog is mostly my little sweet retreat and I think having a little something sweet really makes life better.

One thing I love to eat and talk about, besides chocolate, is breakfast!  Weekend morning breakfasts are a highlight of the week.  Not only do we share something tasty to eat, we chat and linger around the table.  It's an awesome way to start the day and connect with each other.

Every so often, we have cinnamon rolls.  Since I started making them in 2014 based on a small-batch recipe from Oh, Ladycakes, it's been a favorite.  I even have a little cinnamon roll dance I like to do because I'm silly like that sometimes.  I've made several versions (including some must-try almond buns) and this time, let's welcome peanut butter!

I love peanut butter on an English muffin or toast in the morning so a cinnamon roll spin has been on my mind for some time.  What could be easier than just grabbing some peanut butter and slathering it onto the dough for an easy and deliciously satisfying filling!  You end up with ultra tender, soft, squishy rolls (trademarks of this cinnamon roll dough), filled with creamy and crunchy peanut butter (I used both) in each bite.  If you like peanut butter, it's a no-brainer.

I realized some time ago that you have to splurge and go for a glaze on your cinnamon rolls in most cases.  Even just a little bit enhances the overall experience, adding an extra layer of sweetness, flavor, and a general feeling of indulgence that makes it feel all the more fulfilling.  Considering there's just 1 tablespoon of butter and 4 teaspoons of sugar used to make this small-batch of 4 rolls, I think a little glaze is completely reasonable.  So I whipped up a simple peanut butter glaze and I am wholeheartedly glad I did.

Incidentally, I paired my peanut butter cinnamon roll with some Hong Kong style milk tea.  I made an easy knock-off version, simply using strong black tea (steeping at least 2 English breakfast teabags for 2 cups of boiling water), sweetening it lightly with sugar, and stirring in evaporated milk until a creamy color emerges.

I had leftover evaporated milk in the fridge after making a batch of Cantonese egg tarts for my in-laws over the holiday break and this tea was a great use of it.  If only I had thought to serve the egg tarts with the milk tea!  


These peanut butter cinnamon rolls were actually our breakfast finale of 2015.  We got a chance to have many "weekend" breakfasts in the last week or so, which was a serious treat.  These rolls were a great way to wrap up a great year of weekend breakfasts.  On New Year's day, I made smoked salmon "benedict" for my husband and I while the little guy had bacon and eggs with toast.  Does anyone else feel like they've cooked about 85 meals in the last week?  I have to admit it got a bit exhausting towards the end but felt ever so rewarding!

Recipe:

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls (small-batch)

Recipe for dough adapted from Oh, LadyCakes

- A small batch-recipe for 4 cinnamon rolls - 

For dough:
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water, between 105-108 degrees Fahrenheit
1 tablespoon butter, melted (and warm)
2 tablespoons milk, slightly warm
4 teaspoon sugar
Scant 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

For filling:
1/4 cup peanut butter (I used both smooth and chunky, mostly chunky)
Ground cinnamon, to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon)

For peanut butter glaze:
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 tablespoon low-fat milk (I used 1% milk)
1/2 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

Lightly oil a medium size mixing bowl and butter a 6-inch cake pan; set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, lightly stir yeast into the warm water.  Add a pinch of sugar, cover, and set aside until slightly foamy, about 10-15 minutes.  If the mixture does not foam at all after that time, you will need to start over (but at the same time, don't expect a great deal of foam given the small proportions).

In another small bowl, stir the warm melted butter together with the sugar until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.  Mix in milk and set aside.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Make a well in the center and add both the yeast and butter mixtures.  Stir with a wood spoon until dough comes together, then remove from the bowl and knead with your hands for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the kneaded dough to the prepared mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 minutes (or more).

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll or pat/press the dough into a 5x10 inch rectangle (I roll the soft, pliable dough out between parchment paper and plastic wrap).  Spread the peanut butter evenly over the dough, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2-inch border along the sides. (If necessary, you can place the peanut butter in a dish and heat for 10 seconds in the microwave, then stir to loosen it up for easy spreading.)  Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the peanut butter.

Starting at the short end, tightly roll the dough, trim off the ends (optional), and slice into 4 even pieces.  Place rolls into the prepared cake pan and place in a warm spot to rise again until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes (60 minutes being optimal).  [Do ahead: Once the rolls have been sliced and placed in the pan, cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator, set it in a warm place to rise again - this may take a bit more than an hour - and bake.]  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12-14 minutes.  The rolls will still look fairly pale after baking.   

Let rolls cool slightly for about 5-10 minutes in the pan.  In the meantime, make glaze by mixing milk into the confectioners' sugar, then whisking in peanut butter until smooth. Adjust with additional confectioners' sugar (or milk), as needed, until you have a fluid, spreadable consistency.  Drizzle the glaze over the rolls and serve immediately, while still warm.