epicurious5.0
Caramel Rolls
Caramel rolls are soft, plush, buttery, cinnamon-y, and drenched in caramel. Here’s my recipe for the Midwestern baked goods sometimes called Dakota rolls.
👥 12 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 3h 40m🔥 Cook: 1h👤 Kelly Janke📖 epicurious
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●saucepan
- ●bowl
- ●microwave
- ●pan
- ●whisk
- ●spatula
- ●knife
- ●baking sheet
- ●oven
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Dough
2
Heat 1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. whole milk in a small saucepan over medium-low until lukewarm (an instant-read thermometer should register 110°–115°), 1–⏱️ 2 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave milk in a microwave-proof bowl on high heat in 30–45-second bursts.) Pour milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir in one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.) and 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Let sit until milky and slightly foamy, 8–⏱️ 10 minutes. (If yeast doesn’t foam, discard and start again with new yeast.)
plus 3 Tbsp. whole milk1 cup. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature4 Tbspenvelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)1 (¼-oz.)
3
Add 3 large eggs, room temperature, 5¼ cups (656 g) bread flour, 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt, and remaining 4 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed until dough starts to form into a somewhat cohesive mass that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about ⏱️ 3 minutes. With the motor running on medium-high speed, gradually add ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, about 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing until butter is fully incorporated before adding more; mix until dough is soft, pillowy, and no longer sticky, 8–⏱️ 12 minutes. (To test if the dough is ready, grab a small piece and stretch with your fingers until it’s as thin as you can make it without breaking. If light passes through, the dough is ready.) Transfer dough to a lightly buttered large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until almost doubled in size, 1½–⏱️ 2 hours.
large eggs, room temperature3¼ cups (656 g) bread flour5. plus 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt1 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature4 Tbsp
4
Caramel
5
While the dough is rising, melt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1½ cups (packed; 300 g) light brown sugar and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking until sugar dissolves slightly, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Add ¼ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup whole milk, 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 tsp. vanilla extract , and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and cook, whisking, until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth.
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for bowl½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter½ cups (packed; 300 g) light brown sugar1½ cup (packed; 100 g) light brown sugar½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt2. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature4 Tbsp. vanilla extract2 tsp. ground cinnamon1 Tbsp
6
Pour caramel into a 13x9" baking pan, spreading to cover the entire bottom in a thin layer. Let cool at least ⏱️ 30 minutes and up to ⏱️ 2 hours.
7
Filling and Assembly
8
When ready to shape rolls, whisk ½ cup (packed; 100 g) light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, and 2 tsp. bread flour
. ground cinnamon1 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature4 Tbsp. bread flour, plus more for surface2 tsp
9
Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 16x14" rectangle, about ¼" thick. Using an offset spatula, spread 4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, over dough, leaving a 1" border around edges. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over butter and gently press it in to adhere. Starting with a long side, roll up dough into a tight log and pinch seam to seal. Turn log seam side down and, using a serrated knife or piece of floss, trim ½"–1" from each end to make even. Cut log in half crosswise, then cut each half in half again to make four equal pieces. Cut each section into 3 equal pieces to make 12 rolls total.
10
Arrange, rolls, presentation side down (whichever side is the most attractive) in a 4x3 grid in pan on top of caramel, spacing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise until puffy (not quite doubled in volume) and dough springs back when gently pressed, 45–⏱️ 60 minutes.
11
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Bake rolls until tops are golden brown and feel firm to the touch, 32–⏱️ 37 minutes. Let cool (exactly) ⏱️ 10 minutes, then place a parchment-lined baking sheet upside down over rolls. Carefully flip pan and baking sheet over in one quick motion. Using a large metal spoon, tap pan to help release rolls and caramel. Slowly lift away pan. Eat rolls right away or let cool slightly. (If you have any leftovers, store tightly wrapped at room temperature and gently reheat in microwave before serving.) Do Ahead: Dough can be made ⏱️ 12 hours ahead. Punch down dough after initial rise (step 2); tightly re-cover with plastic wrap and chill.
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