Not your traditional cinnamon roll, these bake up crisp, flaky, and buttery. Make the rolls at least a day in advance to store in the freezer, and you can turn out warm, fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast in only half an hour. Just be sure to cook them all the way to a dark golden brown.
Portions: Makes 8
Ingredients:
- 14×16 sheet frozen Quick Puff Pastry
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (76g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (119g) golden brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 small or ½ large egg white
- 1 cup (115g) pecans, chopped
Preparation:
Line a work surface with a large sheet of parchment paper. Place the sheet of frozen puff pastry on the parchment and let it just come to room temperature so it is pliable but not soft. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed until smooth. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Add cinnamon sugar to butter and mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape bowl well with rubber spatula. Add egg white and mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape bowl well. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until light and fluffy. Scrape the cinnamon filling onto the puff pastry with a rubber spatula. Use a metal bench scraper to spread an even, thin layer of filling from edge to edge of the puff pastry. Drag the bench scraper across the filling to ensure an even thickness. Sprinkle pecans evenly over filling. (See step-by step photos on the next page.) Starting from one corner of the 16-inch side of the puff pastry sheet, fold the edge over by ½ inch. Continue to work across the puff pastry sheet, folding it in this manner. Tuck the puff pastry so that it is snug, and keep rolling it up. If puff pastry is soft, use the parchment paper to help roll the dough into a log. Press the log seam side down to seal. If dough is very soft, return it to the freezer to chill for 5 minutes before slicing. Use a chef’s knife to slice the log into 8 equal pieces. Press rolls, cut side down, to create “feet” that will prevent the formed cinnamon rolls from falling over. Place rolls 2 inches apart on a parchment lined sheet pan. Freeze until firm, at least 1 hour but preferably overnight. Unbaked cinnamon rolls may be stored in an airtight container in the freezer up to 1 week. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown, about 30 minutes.