Truth be told, this recipe is probably the most time-consuming recipe in this book (with the Pizza Hut Meat Lover’s Hand-Tossed Style Pizza coming in second). But after the first bite, every person who’s made it swears that they’d make it again . . . especially knowing the Drive-Thru option. Even my friend Heather, who later revealed that she had never before made anything requiring yeast, swore it was much easier than she suspected it would be and worth the effort (we’re close enough that she would have told me the truth). Plus, it’s the only recipe that I’ll probably never admit how much I’ve actually eaten . . . they’re just so good. Oops.

My version of the Cinnabon has also become the recipe I’ve used to prove to skeptics that, in fact, these recipes can be duplicated to satisfy cravings with a fraction of the fat and calories of their original counterparts. Though I believe many of the recipes truly duel the originals, this one happens to travel much better than many since it doesn’t need to be hot. The rolls are just fine if they sit at room temperature for several hours. Imagine what a star you’ll be if you show up at a brunch with a batch of these as your offering.

Cinnabon

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Remake

A lightened-up, at-home remake of the Cinnabon Classic Roll — including the cream cheese frosting.
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Servings: 8 rolls
Calories: 442
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Rolls
  • Butter-flavored cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons light butter from a stick, divided
  • 1 cup fat-free milk
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup artificially sweetened fat-free vanilla yogurt
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
  • 4 cups unbleached flour, divided + additional for work surface
  • 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
  • 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons reduced-fat (Neufchâtel) cream cheese from a block
  • 3 tablespoons light butter from a stick, softened
  • 1/2 tablespoon fat-free milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Heat the milk, granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave to 130°F, about 2 minutes.
  2. Whisk in the yogurt, egg, egg white, and yeast.
  3. Combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; stir in the milk mixture, then add the remaining flour.
  4. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  5. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise about 1 hour, until doubled.
  6. Meanwhile, blend the corn syrup, brown sugar, the remaining tablespoon of cinnamon, and the vanilla for the filling.
  7. Punch down the dough, knead for 1 minute, and let rest 10 minutes.
  8. Roll into an 18″ × 12″ rectangle. Spread with the remaining softened butter, then the filling.
  9. Roll up jellyroll-style and cut into 8 equal pieces. Place, spiral-side up, in a sprayed 11″ × 7″ baking dish.
  10. Cover and let rise a second time, about 30 minutes.
  11. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 22–28 minutes, until lightly browned but slightly doughy in the center.
  12. Frost each roll with about 1½ tablespoons frosting while warm.

Notes

Full nutrition (per roll): 442 calories, 10g protein, 88g carbohydrates, 6g fat, 3g saturated fat, 3g fiber. (Compare to the original Cinnabon Classic Roll: 813 calories, 15g protein, 117g carbohydrates, 32g fat, 8g saturated fat, 4g fiber.)
 
Reprinted from Fast Food Fix by Devin Alexander, copyright 2006. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc. Photo credit: Lisa Cohen.

Want the frosting on its own? Get the full recipe for Cinnabon Frosting.

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