Coffee Rolls
Coffee rolls are a decadent breakfast treat of pillow soft cinnamon rolls, stuffed with a rich and sweet coffee filling, and slathered with a creamy espresso frosting.
Servings: 12 rolls
Equipment
- 9 inch round metal pie pan OR 9x13 inch rectangular metal baking dish (you can use glass pans too, but decrease the oven temperature by 25℉)
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough℉
- ¼ c warm water
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ c warm milk (1%, 2%, or plant milk)
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp plant/vegan butter or unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2-2½ c white whole wheat flour (more if needed)
Coffee Cinnamon Filling
- ½ c light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp espresso powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp plant/vegan butter or unsalted butter, room temperature
Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 oz ⅓ less fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp plant/vegan butter or unsalted butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp espresso powder
- ¾-1 c confectioner's sugar
Instructions
Make the Coffee Roll Dough
- Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes to activate.
- Add the espresso powder to the warm milk to dissolve it. Add the espresso mixture to the yeast mixture. Stir in the egg, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the mixture. Then, gradually add the remaining flour ¼ to ½ cup at a time, stirring to incorporate. When the dough becomes too difficult to stir, turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until the flour is incorporated and the dough becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, then knead it until fully incorporated. Repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Lightly mist the bowl with cooking spray and return the dough to it. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and store in a warm area to raise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the dough roughly doubles in size. *Your dough may need more time to rise. It should double in size before your shape the rolls. If it does not double, your yeast did not activate properly and you'll need to start over.
Shape and Cook the Coffee Rolls
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, espresso powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Roll the dough out to a rectangle roughly 12x18 inches. Spread the butter out along the rectangle and sprinkle with a generous amount of the coffee-sugar filling.
- Starting at the long end of the dough, tightly roll the dough into an 18 inch long log. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 10 to 12 rolls (if you want larger rolls, cut into 10 pieces; if you want smaller rolls, cut into 12 pieces). Place the rolls in a lightly greased 9-inch pie or cake pan, leaving some space between the rolls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let raise for 45 minutes, or until rolls almost double in size.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on the tops. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack while you make the frosting.
Frost the Coffee Rolls
- Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Mix in the vanilla and espresso powder. Add the confectioner's sugar ¼ cup at a time until incorporated. You can adjust the amount of confectioner's sugar based on your preference for the consistency of the frosting. For thinner frosting, use up to ¾ cup of sugar. For thicker frostings use 1-1½ cups of sugar. If you add too much sugar, you can thin by adding a few teaspoons of milk. Spread the frosting onto the rolls. You may have extra frosting. Serve and enjoy!