The Ultimate Honey Cinnamon Rolls

We love these cinnamon rolls slathered in whipped honey any day, but there’s something about your family waking up to them on Christmas morning that is a tradition you’ll never want to skip.

The Ultimate Honey Cinnamon Rolls
(cinnamon rolls with a kick + a bath of whipped honey)
Makes 12 cinnamon rolls

What you need:
For the dough:
1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) butter, room temperature, divided plus more for greasing the baking pan
1 cup warm milk
¼ cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Savannah Bee Company® Whipped Honey with Cinnamon or your favorite Savannah Bee Company® whipped honey.
5 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

For the filling:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4-5 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional… but delicious!)

For the “frosting”:
1 cup, divided Savannah Bee Company® Whipped Honey with Cinnamon or your favorite Savannah Bee Company® Whipped Honey

What to do:

1. Wash Up!

2. Make the dough: Butter the inside of a large mixing bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk, water, vanilla, ½ cup butter, yeast, eggs, salt, honey, and flour. Mix until a soft elastic dough forms (about 4-5 minutes -the dough should be slightly tacky to the touch). Note: If the dough is too moist, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too dry, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to mix the dough for 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough in the prepared mixing bowl, turning once to ensure that both sides are buttered. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

3. Make the filling: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne and set aside.

4. Form the roll: On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 16-by- 24-inch rectangle. Use your hands to spread the remaining butter over the top of the dough, making sure to butter all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the butter. Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a slightly loose, long log (rolling the dough too tightly will make the centers of the rolls pop up when baking). Pinch the seam to seal. With the seam on the bottom, use a serrated knife to cut the log into twelve equal-width rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan -spacing so they do not touch. To enjoy the same day: Cover the pan and place it in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the rolls have doubled in size. To enjoy the next morning: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. Allow about 45-90 minutes for the rolls to come to room temperature and rise once you remove them from the refrigerator in the morning.

5. Bake the rolls: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before topping with the frosting. Serve warm.

6. “Frost” the rolls: While still warm, spread ½ cup of whipped honey over the tops of the rolls. Right before serving spread the tops with the remaining ½ cup of whipped honey.

Pro Tip: This recipe is great for freezing and baking later! Place the rolls with space between them into a greased disposable baking pan and cover well with plastic. When you know you want to use them the following morning, pull out the pan and leave covered in a warm place to come to room temperature overnight. Bake according to step 5 in the morning.

#savethebees