Soft And Buttery Walnut Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 180 ml (¾ cup)milk, at room temperature
• 57 g (¼ cup)butter, softened
• 406 g (3¼ cups)plain flour
• 7 g (1½ teaspoons)instant yeast
• 55 g (¼ cup)sugar
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• 60 ml (¼ cup)water
• 1egg
• 175 g (1 cup)brown sugar
• 1 tablespoonground cinnamon
• 113 g (½ cup)butter, softened
• 65 g (½ cup)toasted walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm the milk

   Heat the milk in a small saucepan over a medium heat until bubbles appear. Add the 57 g of butter and stir until melted, then take the pan off the heat and leave the mixture to cool until lukewarm.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl, combine 281 g (2¼ cups) of the flour with the sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in the water, egg and lukewarm milk mixture. Add the remaining flour in ½-cup portions, stirring well after each addition.

3. 3

   Knead the dough

   Once the dough starts to come together into a ball, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth.

4. 4

   Rest the dough

   Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. It is not expected to rise much during this rest.

5. 5

   Prepare the filling

   Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or use a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 inch) baking pan. In a medium bowl, beat the brown sugar, cinnamon and 113 g of softened butter until well combined, then set aside.

6. 6

   Fill and roll

   Roll the dough into a 30 × 23 cm (12 × 9 inch) rectangle. Spread the cinnamon mixture over it, leaving about 2.5 cm (1 inch) clear around the edges, then scatter over the chopped walnuts. Roll up the dough and pinch the seam closed.

7. 7

   Cut the rolls

   Cut the dough into 12 equal rolls and place them cut-side up in the muffin cups. If using a baking pan, arrange the rolls so they touch.

8. 8

   Let the rolls rise

   Cover the rolls with a damp towel and leave them to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. While they rise, heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

9. 9

   Bake until golden

   Place a baking sheet underneath the muffin pan to catch any drips, then bake the rolls for 20 minutes, or until browned. Cool in the muffin pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove the rolls to cool and serve warm.

10. 10

    Adjust pan timing

    If baking the rolls in a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 inch) pan, increase the baking time to 25–30 minutes. Cream cheese icing can also be spread over the rolls.

What are walnut cinnamon rolls?

Cinnamon rolls are sweet yeast breads shaped around a spiced sugar filling and baked as individual spirals. They are a familiar home-style bake across many Western baking traditions, with variations in dough, filling and topping.

This version uses a quick-rising, buttery dough and adds chopped walnuts for a nutty crunch. Baking the rolls in muffin cups gives each one its own space, while a shared pan lets them bake close together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 349 calories, 6g protein, 48g carbs, 16g fat.

The flour and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter and walnuts contribute much of the fat; the egg, milk, flour and walnuts provide some protein. Serve a roll with fruit and plain yoghurt for a more balanced plate.

A quick-rising dough

Instant yeast: It is mixed straight into the dry ingredients here, so there is no separate proofing step. Keep the milk mixture lukewarm before adding it; the recipe calls for it to cool after the butter melts.

Flour: The recipe starts with 281 g (2¼ cups), then adds the rest gradually. This staged addition helps bring the dough together without tipping all the flour in at once.

Mixing and kneading

Bring it together: Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, then add the remaining flour in half-cup portions. The dough is ready to turn out when it begins to gather into a ball.

Knead briefly: About 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface is the stated guide. Aim for a smooth dough, using only enough surface flour to keep it manageable.

Why the dough rests

The first 10-minute rest is for the dough to settle, rather than to rise noticeably. Cover it with a damp cloth so the surface does not dry out while you prepare the filling.

After shaping, the rolls need a separate rise of about 30 minutes, until doubled in size. That visible change is the cue to bake them.

Rolling and filling

Even rectangle: Roll the dough to 30 × 23 cm so the filling can be spread in a reasonably even layer. Leave about 2.5 cm clear at the edges to help contain it as you roll.

Sealed seam: Roll the dough up and pinch the seam closed before cutting. This helps the spiral keep its shape when the portions are placed in the cups or pan.

Choosing a baking pan

Muffin cups: Divide the dough into 12 equal rolls and place each one cut-side up. Grease the cups lightly first, and set a baking sheet underneath to catch any filling that drips.

Baking pan: In a 23 × 33 cm pan, arrange the rolls so they touch and allow 25–30 minutes of baking. The recipe gives 20 minutes for muffin cups.

Serving the rolls

Let the baked rolls cool in their muffin pan for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack. Serve them warm, when the buttery filling is soft.

They can be served on their own or alongside plain yoghurt and fresh fruit. Cream cheese icing is an optional finish mentioned in the method.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the milk and butter mixture cool to lukewarm before mixing it with the yeast and flour.
• Add the remaining flour gradually, as the method specifies, so you can judge when the dough comes together.
• Use a lightly floured surface for kneading rather than adding a heavy dusting of flour.
• Leave the 2.5 cm edge clear when spreading the filling to make rolling and sealing easier.
• Use a baking sheet beneath the muffin pan to catch drips during baking.
• Check for a doubled size after the 30-minute rise rather than relying on time alone.

Variations

• Use raisins: Replace the walnuts with raisins, as suggested in the method.
• Add icing: Spread cream cheese icing over the rolls after baking.
• Use a baking pan: Arrange the rolls so they touch and bake for 25–30 minutes.
• Toast the walnuts: Toast and chop the walnuts before scattering them over the filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding hot milk: It should be lukewarm before it goes into the dough; let the butter mixture cool first.
• Adding all the flour at once: Stir in the remaining flour in ½-cup portions as directed.
• Skipping the first rest: Give the covered dough 10 minutes to settle before rolling it out.
• Overfilling to the edge: Leave about 2.5 cm clear around the rectangle so the filling is easier to contain.
• Baking the pan version for too little time: Allow 25–30 minutes in the 23 × 33 cm pan rather than the 20 minutes given for muffin cups.
• Removing the rolls immediately: Cool them in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

How to store

Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave or in a low oven until warm.

Frequently asked questions