There's something irresistible about these soft, pillowy Ricotta Cinnamon Rolls, especially when they're made with rich ricotta cheese and filled with a luscious vanilla custard. What does ricotta cheese do to these sweet rolls, you ask? The addition of ricotta cheese to the dough makes these cinnamon rolls incredibly moist, soft and fluffy. Ricotta cheese is high in fat, which helps to create a tender crumb and gives the buns a rich and creamy texture. Additionally, the cheese adds a subtle tangy flavor to the dough, which makes any these rolls taste infinitely better!
Please note that the custard filling is optional and can be replaced with the traditional cinnamon-sugar filling which is included in the recipe card, below!
Here's why I love this recipe
- buttery, soft and decadent texture
- easy to prepare if you have a stand mixer or bread machine
- freezer-friendly and reheat friendly. Just toss the frozen rolls in an airfryer and cook 350F for 5-10 minutes!
Ingredients Used to Make Ricotta Cinnamon Rolls
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the baking aisle, or the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Bread Flour - Bread flour is highly recommended for this recipe for the best texture and structure. I used King Arthur Bread Flour. Please read the note in the substitution section below if using other flours.
- Instant Yeast - you can find instant yeast in the baking section near the flours. My favorite is SAF Instant Premium Yeast, which works quickly and consistently produces great results. I recommend using instant yeast over active yeast for this recipe since active yeast (unlike instant yeast) needs to be activated in water, which we don't add until the very end.
- Sugar - I used raw cane sugar, but you can use regular granulated white sugar, or healthier alternatives like coconut, date, or maple sugars. Sugar free sugar-free substitutes such as monk fruit sweetener or stevia powder can be used in the frosting recipe, but for what goes inside the bread, I would NOT RECOMMEND using sugar-free substitutes since they can cause the bread to not rise properly.
- Salt - Pink Himalayan salt is what I have at home, so it’s what I use, but you can use any kind for this recipe.
- Butter - softened to room temperature
- Ricotta Cheese - the plain (unflavored) kind. I used full fat for the best texture, but you can also use reduced fat ricotta cheese for this recipe.
- Egg - you'll need one large egg in this recipe. The egg will help with the rising process so that the rolls turn out light and fluffy.
Filling Ingredients
- You'll need about 1 ½ to 2 cups of custard, pastry cream or vanilla pudding. You can also use the recipes below to make your own!
Easy Vanilla Custard Made in the Microwave
See RecipeAlmond Milk Custard (Vegan Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream)
See RecipeEquipment
- I used a KitchenAid Stand Mixer with a dough hook to knead the dough. You're also welcome to use a bread machine, or knead the dough by hand.
More Recipes like This
Note on Substitutions
- Unfortunately, gluten-free flours cannot be substituted for bread flour in this recipe.
- If you don't have bread flour, you can also use All Purpose Flour instead. AP flour has less protein than bread flour, so they will yield softer rolls with less chew/ bite.
- The almond flour can be subbed with other nut flour like pecan, cashew and walnut flour.
Ricotta Cinnamon Rolls with Sweet Custard Filling
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 4 cups bread flour , (480g) pre-sifted and leveled*
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 15 oz full fat ricotta cheese , (425g)
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp water , or milk of choice
- ¼ cup butter , (57g) softened to room temperature
Filling (pick and use ONE of the following)
- 1 ½ cups Shortcut Vanilla Custard Filling , or vanilla pudding of choice
- 3 Tbsp of sugar mixed with 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
Simple Deco Idea
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix all the dry ingredients (bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt) in the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Add the ricotta cheese, egg and water.
- Start to knead the dough at a low setting (speed 2). Once all the dry ingredients come together, add the room temperature butter.
- Note: More water or flour may be needed depending on the protein content of the flour, the water content in the ricotta cheese, as well as the humidity and temperature of the kitchen. If adding additional water or flour, be sure to add one tablespoon at a time, just until the dry ingredients are no longer visible.
- Continue to knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a slightly sticky, but still a stretchy-supple dough.
- Remove the finished dough from the mixer bowl and place in a lightly greased bowl.
- Let rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes**
- While the dough rises, prepare the filling by preparing the filling ingredients (either the custard or sugar filling NOT both). Set aside.
- When the dough is ready, punch down the dough then remove from bowl. Place on a generously floured surface and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle, about 18 x 10 inches in size.
- Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough
- Starting from the end, shape the dough into a roll. Pinch the seams to seal.
- Use a string or dental floss to cut the rolled up dough into individual rolls. Note: For wider, dome-shaped rolls like the ones in the photos, cut log into 16 rolls and arrange them 1 inch apart on a half-sized (8"x13") sheet pan. For regular tall cinnamon rolls with straight sides, divide into 12 rolls and use a 9" x 12" rectangular pan or a quarter sheet pan, and space them half-inch apart so that they're almost touching.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper. A well-greased pan will also work.
- Place the individual rolls on a parchment-lined baking pan, swirl side up, and about ¾ inches apart
- Let the rolls rise again for about 30 minutes until puffy. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350F / 180C
- Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes until golden brown
- Use a sieve to dust powdered sugar on top. Alternatively, top with a scoop of ricotta cheese, a sprinkle of pistachio nuts. Drizzle with honey.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
How to Store
- You can store these Cinnamon Rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, cover with foil and warm them up in the oven or air fryer
How to Reheat
- For a quick and easy way to reheat frozen cinnamon rolls, simply place them in an air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes! The air fryer's circulating hot air crisps up the exterior while ensuring the inside is warm and gooey, similar to freshly baked cinnamon rolls.
Final Tips for the Best Cinnamon Rolls
- Weigh your flour for the best results. 1 cup of bread flour = 120 grams / 4.23 oz. This is recommended since scooping the flour directly from the bag can can pack the flour into the measuring cup, and this means you'll end up with more flour than what's called for in the recipe. If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can measure the flour by spooning pre-sifted flour into the measuring cup, then using the straight end of the spoon to level the flour across the top to sweep off the excess.
- Baking time (as well as serving size) will vary based on the size of your baking pan, the material (silicone vs metal) of the pan. If you're not sure whether the bread is ready, you can insert a quick read thermometer into the bread - a finished bread will register 190 F (or 88 C).
- To make this recipe in the bread machine: add all the dry ingredients into the machine, stir briefly before adding the wet ingredients. The machine can be set for basic. Check the dough for consistency and adjust by adding additional water (or flour) before the end of the first kneading cycle. If you want to add additional nuts or dried fruits, leave them aside, and only them 3 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle.
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