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5 from 2 votes

Cinnamon Rolls with Apricot Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting

Turn breakfast into a special occasion with these no-knead cinnamon rolls that are topped with a tangy, fruity apricot cardamom cream cheese frosting.
Enriched dough recipe from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
Prep Time3 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Servings: 8 rolls
Calories (Estimated): 357kcal

Ingredients:

For the dough:

  • ¾ teaspoon granulated yeast (such as active dry or rapid rise)
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 7 tablespoons warm water (around 90 degrees F.)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled*
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

For the filling:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the frosting:

  • 3 ounces full-fat block cream cheese**, softened
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 teaspoons apricot preserves
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions:

For the dough:

  • Add yeast, kosher salt and honey to a large bowl.
  • Pour the water into the bowl and whisk everything together. Let sit for a couple of minutes until the mix starts to foam.
  • Whisk egg and butter into the mix.
  • Add flour to the bowl and fully mix it in using a firm plastic spatula or a spoon or your hands.
  • Cover the bowl, set it in a warm place and let the dough rise for 2 hours.
  • Transfer the dough into an airtight container and keep in the fridge until you're ready to bake the rolls.***

For the filling:

  • When you're ready to bake the rolls, grease a 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.
  • Lightly dust a work surface with all-purpose flour.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out thinly into a 14" by 10" rectangle. Cut off the sides of the sheet to make it a rectangle. Set aside to make the filling.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan.
  • Add both sugars and cinnamon and whisk until you get a uniform paste. Let the mix cool a bit.
  • Using an offset spatula or a rubber spatula, spread the filling onto the dough all the way out to the edges.
  • Roll up the dough (from the long end).
  • Cut into 8 pieces using a serrated knife.****
  • Set the rolls into the pie pan, leaving space in between each of them.
  • Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap, then let them rise in a warm place for 1 hour. (The rolls should be touching each other after the rise. If they aren't, let them rise a little longer.)
  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Remove the plastic and bake the rolls until they are starting to brown on the edges (25 to 30 minutes).

For the frosting:

  • Whip together cream cheese, butter, cardamom and apricot preserves until fluffy.
  • Whip in powdered sugar.
  • Spread the frosting onto the rolls and serve immediately.

Notes:

*It's important to let the butter cool, otherwise it can cook the egg or the yeast.
**Don’t use any cream cheese products labeled as low-fat or reduced-fat. Those have a higher moisture content than full-fat cream cheese and that can affect the consistency of the frosting.
***You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days.
****Using a serrated knife will ensure that you don't squoosh the rolls.