Blonde Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Introduction to Blonde Cinnamon Rolls

Blonde Cinnamon Rolls are a softer, lighter twist on the classic cinnamon roll. Baked at a lower temperature for a golden, delicate finish, these rolls are all about softness and pastry-like texture. With a balanced mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar, this recipe delivers rich sweetness without overwhelming. Originally scaled down from a commercial kitchen recipe for large bakery rolls, these cinnamon rolls are ideal for those seeking a professional, bakery-quality treat at home. However, their sticky, soft dough might be more challenging for beginners, and the rolls lean toward a more delicate crumb rather than a chewy, bread-like texture. For an added touch of sophistication, this recipe incorporates 15% yudane for extra hydration and softness.

(Dough Development — What You Should Actually Be Looking For)

This video walks you through the dough process in a mixer so you can clearly see what proper development looks like for this formula.

What you’ll notice here is that we are not pushing the dough to an extreme windowpane, we’re developing it until it becomes cohesive, elastic, and organized while still remaining soft and tacky.

As noted in the recipe, this dough performs best when made with cold ingredients and followed by a cold fermentation. Both help control dough temperature, support structure, and improve overall handling.

While yudane can be omitted, it contributes to a slightly silkier dough and improved moisture retention. Without it, expect the dough to feel a bit more hydrated, not incorrect, just different. When you omit yudane, that pre-gel structure disappears. Even if the total liquid in the formula is similar, the dough will not retain moisture the same way.

Use this video as a visual reference point. If your dough looks like this, you are on the right track, and more importantly, you’ll understand what we are not trying to force.

For a deeper explanation of mixer behavior, gluten development, and when to stop kneading, refer to my blog post “Better Understanding of Dough Development (Mixers & Hand Kneading).” It will give you the context behind what you’re seeing here.

A full start-to-finish video will be available on YouTube soon and will be linked here once published. (:

(Full Batch by Hand & Understanding When Enough Is Enough)

This video show the complete dough process by hand so you can see exactly how development should progress without relying on a mixer.

I knead the dough only until it reaches the same level of structure shown in the mixer video, which is smoother, elastic, and capable of holding some form while still remaining supple and soft. It’s okay that it tears. That is the point this formula was written for, and stopping there preserves the soft texture these rolls are known for.

From there, you will see I continue! I divide the dough to show what happens when gluten is pushed further. I kneaded several times more minutes. Additional kneading will produce a stronger network and slightly more chew. Some bakers prefer that added structure, but it is important to understand that more development is not automatically better for every dough, it simply creates a different result.

The purpose of this demonstration is to help you recognize the threshold so you can make an informed decision rather than kneading blindly. If you find that your mixer struggles to properly engage the dough, this method gives you a reliable alternative and, more importantly, teaches you what the dough should feel like when it has been developed appropriately.

For a deeper discussion on mixer limitations, hand kneading technique, and recognizing overworked dough, I strongly recommend reading “Better Understanding of Dough Development (Mixers & Hand Kneading)”alongside this recipe, or any enriched dough you struggle with.

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Carter's Blonde Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12

Author: Carter

Ingredients

• 180g All Purpose Flour
• 180mL Boiling Water

Dough

• 1020g all purpose flour
• 200g granulated sugar
• 12g instant yeast
• 18g salt
• 360mL whole milk
• 60mL water
• 200g whole eggs
• 36g egg yolks
• 12g vanilla extract or paste
• 170g unsalted butter, softened room temp.

Filling

• 170g unsalted butter, softened room temp
• 200g brown sugar
• 200g granulated sugar
• 40g-50g saigon cinnamon

Simple Vanilla Glaze

• 500g icing/powdered sugar
• 120mL whole milk
• 30g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 12g vanilla extract or paste
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Place the 180g of all-purpose flour in a heatproof bowl.
2. Pour 180mL boiling water over the flour, stirring vigorously with a spatula or spoon until a sticky, dough-like paste forms.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature.
4. Note: Originally, the Yudane was made every night before preparing the dough. While it can be made the same day, it is recommended to prepare it 3–4 hours in advance for best results.

Dough and Cold Proof

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix on low to combine or whisk together. (Add salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl before mixing)
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, water, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Gradually add the wet ingredients and the Yudane to the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed.
3. Knead the dough (speed 2–3) for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter in small pieces. Continue kneading for another 3–5 minutes until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly tacky.
5. 3. Bulk Fermentation (Cold Proof)
6. Lightly grease a large airtight container (such as a Cambro bucket or mixing bowl with a lid) with oil.
7. Use an oiled spatula or hands to transfer the dough into the container. Cover tightly.
8. Place the container in the refrigerator immediately after kneading. Ensure the dough is around 25–27°C (77–81°F) before refrigeration to avoid over-proofing or no rise.
9. Let the dough cold-ferment overnight (8–12 hours).

Shaping and Baking

1. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.
2. Lightly flour or oil your work surface and roll the cold, slightly rested dough into a 24" x 24" square. Aim for an even thickness across the entire square to ensure uniform rolls.
3. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the filling mixture (brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon) evenly over the butter. (leaving 1/2" border along edges)
4. Starting from one edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Use your hands to guide and shape the roll evenly as you go.
5. Once rolled, gently shape the log to be exactly 24" long, trimming any uneven edges if needed for cleaner, more uniform cuts.
6. Use your preferred tool—unflavored floss, a sharp chef’s knife, serrated knife, or bench scraper—to slice the log into 12 equal 2" pieces.
7. To use floss, slide a piece under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice cleanly without squishing the dough.
8. For knives, use a gentle sawing motion to avoid compressing the rolls.
9. Place the rolls cut-side up into a greased or parchment-lined 12" x 18" x 2" sheet cake baking pan or sheet pan, leaving a bit of space between each roll for expansion during proofing. (You can use a half sheet pan, but with the shorter borders, your rolls will bake more outward. Do this if your desired rolls are more round and spaced out vs square and taller)
10. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the rolls proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or until puffy and almost doubled in size.
11. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) for Blonde Cinnamon Rolls. Feel free to pour heavy cream over each roll (about 1-2 Tbsp each), or an egg wash for a more shiny golden crust.
12. Bake the rolls until they reach an internal temperature of 180–190°F (82–88°C). This ensures a tender texture without excessive browning. Start checking at the 30 minute mark.
13. For classic cinnamon rolls with a golden-brown exterior, bake at 350°F (175°C) instead. Same internal temp.
14. Allow the rolls to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before glazing.

Glaze

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together:
2. 500g powdered sugar
3. 120mL whole milk
4. 30g melted and cooled unsalted butter
5. 12g vanilla extract or paste
6. 1/4 tsp salt
7. Adjust the consistency by adding a little more milk for a thinner glaze or more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze.
8. Apply the Glaze:
9. Let the rolls cool for 10–15 minutes after baking to avoid melting the glaze completely.
10. Drizzle or spread the glaze generously over the warm rolls, ensuring it seeps into all the layers for maximum flavor.

Notes

Pro Tip: If you prefer a thicker layer of glaze, let the rolls cool completely before applying the glaze for a more pronounced finish. For a classic bakery look, double the glaze recipe and apply additional glaze after the first layer sets.

Optional (Skip Yudane): If you'd like to omit the yudane and its steps, then add the ingredients to the final dough. Add the 180g flour to make 1200g total flour in the dough. You can use 180mL water or milk to maintain the hydration having a total 480mL liquid from water and milk, and proceed with the steps as usual for the dough prep. (Total water without yudane should be 240mL)

Designed for Professional Quality

• This recipe is written exactly as prepped in bakery, including the use of the yudane method, multi-day preparation, and a stand mixer for kneading.
• Substitutions and changes (e.g., hand kneading, slap and fold, or no-knead methods) can be made at the baker’s discretion but may affect the final results.

Flour Types for Desired Texture

Use half or all bread flour for chewier rolls with more structure. Stick with all-purpose flour for softer, more tender rolls.

Enhance the Filling

Turn the filling into a spreadable paste and mix in 60mL heavy cream.

Adjust Dough Temperature

If the dough feels too soft before shaping, place it back in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm up.

If the dough is shrinking while rolling, it needs to rest for 10–20 minutes to relax the gluten.

Minimize Extra Flour

Spread a layer of neutral oil on your work surface instead of flour to prevent sticking without altering the dough’s hydration.

Handle Yeast Correctly

Add instant yeast directly to the dry ingredients for convenience.

If using active dry yeast, bloom it in a small portion of the recipe’s warm water (e.g., 60mL or 1/4 cup) before mixing to ensure activation. Deduct this water from the total in the recipe.

For uncertain yeast quality or age, blooming is a good fail-safe for either yeast.

Use Cold Ingredients

For better dough control, use cold milk, cold eggs, and cold water straight from the fridge. This slows down yeast activity, making the dough easier to handle during mixing and rolling.

Don’t Overlook Cold Fermentation Behavior

After cold fermentation, don’t expect the dough to double in size. A slight rise is normal, as the dough will fully proof after shaping.

Even Rolling and Cutting

Work quickly but gently while rolling out the dough to maintain its firmness.

Use tools like floss, a serrated knife, or a bench scraper for clean slices without squishing.

Recommended Products

Dough Bucket