Description
These Chai Cinnamon Rolls blend the warm, aromatic spices of chai tea with the comforting softness of classic cinnamon rolls. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves, these sweet rolls feature a luscious honey-sweetened spiced filling and a creamy chai-infused frosting, making them an irresistible treat for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp granulated white sugar
- 4 3/4 cups (593 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
Filling
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/3 cup (116 g) honey
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, very softened
Frosting
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (97 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of cloves
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Warm the whole milk to 110°F (43°C) and stir in the active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, salt, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir well to evenly distribute the spices.
- Form Dough: Add the frothy yeast mixture, whisked eggs, vanilla extract, and very softened butter to the dry ingredients. Combine and knead the dough on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
- Prepare Chai Filling: Brew the chai tea bags in the heavy cream, letting it steep until the cream is infused with chai flavor, then remove the tea bags. In a bowl, mix the light brown sugar with spices including cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, honey, vanilla extract, salt, and softened butter until well blended.
- Shape Rolls: Once the dough has doubled, roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle. Spread the chai butter mixture evenly over the dough. Starting from one long side, roll the dough tightly into a log and cut into 12 equal slices.
- Bake: Place the rolls on a greased or parchment-lined baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Make Frosting: While the rolls are baking, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cloves until smooth and creamy.
- Cool and Frost: Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool slightly after baking. Spread the chai cream cheese frosting generously over the warm rolls before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the milk is not too hot when activating yeast; temperatures above 115°F can kill yeast.
- Kneading the dough until smooth is crucial for a fluffy texture.
- Letting the rolls cool for a few minutes before frosting prevents the frosting from melting off completely.
- You can brew the chai tea in the heavy cream ahead of time to save time.
- If you prefer a less sweet roll, reduce the brown sugar slightly in the filling.
