Need Help with Cinnamon Roll Filling

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I've been experimenting with baking cinnamon rolls as of late. I'm very happy with the taste (especially the frosting), but my cinnamon filling keeps crystallizing and making "candy" at the bottom of the roll. I don't want that. I want the filling to stay gooey.

Right now I'm coating the inside of the dough with a thin layer of margarine and then sprinkling a mixture of dark brown sugar and cinnamon on top of it before I roll it up.

What am I doing wrong? Do/can I need to add something to the filling to keep it soft?

[Mousey Girl]

Are you cooking it too hot/too long?

[JWBear]

It's probably the brown sugar. Also, I would use real butter instead of margarine.

[Kevy Baby]

I read the topic as "Need Help with Cinnamon Roll Fling" and was thinking "I'm in!"

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Are you cooking it too hot/too long?I'm cooking at 375° and pull out (tee hee) when the bread starts to brown.
It's probably the brown sugar. Also, I would use real butter instead of margarine.Should I use regular sugar instead? All the recipes I saw called for brown. Does Dark vs. Light make a difference?

Should I use butter for taste reasons or will that help reduce crystallization too?

[JWBear]

I've never seen a recipe that calls for brown sugar in the filling, so that was my first thought.

Margarine reacts differently than butter to heat. I don't recommend it in baking.
Never use low fat or "healthy" spreads when baking. They don't work.

[bewitched]

I'm cooking at 375° and pull out (tee hee) when the bread starts to brown.
Should I use regular sugar instead? All the recipes I saw called for brown. Does Dark vs. Light make a difference?

Should I use butter for taste reasons or will that help reduce crystallization too?

I believe most cinnamon roll recipes call for brown sugar. Dark vs light is the amount of natural molasses in the sugar. Try light brown and real butter (the butter/margarine shouldn't make a difference but baking with butter, in my experience, usually tastes better).

Try buttering the pan (w/butter, not Pam or something else). Hopefully that will help keep any stray sugar a "caramelly" texture rather than crystallizing.

[Kevy Baby]

Or just go to Cinnabon and pick up a box of six.

http://www.cinnabon.com/images/prod_5.jpg

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I believe most cinnamon roll recipes call for brown sugar. Dark vs light is the amount of natural molasses in the sugar. Try light brown and real butter (the butter/margarine shouldn't make a difference but baking with butter, in my experience, usually tastes better).

Try buttering the pan (w/butter, not Pam or something else). Hopefully that will help keep any stray sugar a "caramelly" texture rather than crystallizing.I had been using Butter "Flavored" Pam, I'll try real butter next time. I originally opted for dark brown sugar because I thought it would have more flavor, but I'll give the light a try. Thanks.

Or just go to Cinnabon and pick up a box of six.OMG, you have no idea...!

That's actually what started this whole experimentation. For weeks (no kidding) I tried to find a good cinnamon roll. All the ones I found were too dry and I didn't know of a nearby Cinnabon.

So about two weekends ago, I had some time on my hands and went to the 3rd Street Promenade for the main purpose of getting a Cinnabon from the Santa Monica Place Mall. Much to my surprise, it was gutted (http://www.santamonicaplace.com/).

A few days later, I checked the Cinnabon web site (http://www.cinnabon.com/) for a nearby location. I wanted to pick up a pack for my D&D game that night. I also had an appointment with my doctor about my jaw, but I figured I had enough time since it was quite literally on my way there.

As it happened, I parked on the exact opposite side of the mall from the Cinnabon. After I hiked to the store, I asked to buy a pack of six. Even though they had nine fresh rolls ready to go, they refused to sell me a box of six. The guy claimed he had to save those for people walking up. Well what the hell was I doing?!? He said if I could wait half an hour, he could make me some. Uh no, I still had to hike back to my car and get to my appointment. :mad:

So I determined right then and there that I would find a way to make cinnamon rolls that were just as good and certainly a lot less expensive.

[cirquelover]

Are you using a glass or metal pan to bake them in?


Now that I think of it, I've always just used white sugar in my cinnamon rolls. I use brown sugar for the carmel rolls, that would be the goo you're getting on the bottom. Kind of like a pineapple upside down cake gooey goo.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Are you using a glass or metal pan to bake them in?I've used both a metal cake pan, a metal cookie sheet with a silicone mat, and a silicone muffin tray. I get the "brown candy" on all of them.

[3894]

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T light corn syrup
(1/4 cup finely-chopped pecans)

You've got your white roll dough. You roll it out to a 16 x1 2" rectangle. You spread the filling in. You rull it up, jelly-roll style. You seal the edge. You cut the roll into 16 slices. You place them in a greased 9 x 9 x 2" pan. You cover and let rise about 30 min.

Now, your pour 1/2 cup whipping cream over. Bake in a 350 oven for 35 minutes. Invert onto plate.

Enjoy!

[lashbear]

Recipe from http://recipes.robbiehaf.com/C/71.htm

Cinnamon Buns like Cinnabon's®
Heavenly cinnamon rolls drizzled in a sweet icing.

Prep. Time: 4:00
Serves: 12 - 15
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbls. ground cinnamon
(2) .25 oz. pkts. active dry yeast
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 cup 110 degree water
1 cup warm milk
2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup melted butter OR margarine
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs - slightly beaten
up to 8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts OR pecans - optional
1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup melted butter OR margarine
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. maple extract - optional, but recommended
up to 6 Tbls. hot water



-Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and the cinnamon; set aside.
-In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water; set aside.
-In a large bowl, mix together milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs; add yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour to mixture; beat until smooth; stir in enough flour to form a slightly stiff dough.
-Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 8 minutes.
-Place dough into a large greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
-Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
-Roll dough out onto a floured surface into a 15" X 20" rectangle.
-Brush 1/2 cup melted butter over dough; sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over dough; sprinkle nuts evenly over dough, if desired.
-Tightly roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal; cut the roll into 12 - 15 slices using dental floss or thread.
-Coat the bottom of a 13" X 9" X 2" baking pan with 1/2 cup melted butter; sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar evenly in the bottom of the pan.
-Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the prepared pan; cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
-Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
-Stir together powdered sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, and extracts; stir in hot water, 1 Tbls. at a time, until the glaze reaches desired spreading consistency.
-Spread prepared icing over slightly cooled rolls.

[Gemini Cricket]

Or just go to Cinnabon and pick up a box of six.

What KB said.
Then you take it home, wring out each Cinnabon like a wet rag and collect the filling in a cheesecloth.

[Melonballer]

I used to work for Cinnabon. We used brown sugar and cinnamon in the center. I would spread the butter on the dough and then spread the Cin/Sugar mixture. After that I would use the rolling pin to lightly press the mixture down. Just roll the rolling pin across. That might help

[Morrigoon]

Did you make the glaze from scratch too, or did that come pre-made?

[bewitched]

And...?

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I had a crapload of cinnamon-infused brown sugar to get rid of so I haven't tried white yet, but I did try buttering the pan and also pressing the filling into the buttered dough and one or both of those seemed to reduce the brown candy effect significantly.

So whoohoo, thanks :)