Cast Iron Skillet Cinnamon Rolls (without yeast)

My mom and I had big plans for Christmas cinnamon rolls. We've always just kinda used the Pillsbury canned kind and this was the first year we were going to make them from scratch. I suggested the Pioneer Woman's version but then we decided on a recipe that just made one batch. Well, Christmas Eve came and we discovered that despite multiple trips to the grocery store in the preceding days, there was no yeast in the house. So, after some quick research we found this recipe which does not require any yeast! That means there's no crazy steps of letting the dough rise and then kneading and then waiting for it to rise again. Which was just fine with us :)

Now these were a little less fluffy than your typical cinnamon rolls, but were still soft, bathed in ooey-gooey cinnamon sugary butter, and reheated really well. Plus the icing is basically a cream cheese frosting... which I love. Oh, and better than the canned, processed kind if you have a few minutes to put them together. 

What You'll Need:

for the rolls:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for the counter
2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling:

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

for the frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously coat your cast iron skillet with vegetable oil spray. You could also use a 9" round cake pan.

2. First make the filling. Combine together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and the 1 Tablespoon melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.

3. Then, make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour; 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons of the melted butter together.

5. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until absorbed, about 30 seconds. 

6. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.

7. Press the dough out into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle using your hands or a rolling pin.

8. Brush the dough with 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Press the filling firmly into the dough.

9. Loosen the dough from the counter using a bench scraper or a metal spatula.

10. Starting at a long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log.

11. Pinch the seam to seal. Slice the dough into 8 even pieces. (The more even each roll, the more evenly they will cook!)

12. Place the slices in the greased skillet.

13. Brush with the remaining 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

14. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer combine all of the ingredients for the cream cheese icing until fully combined and smooth. 

14. Let cool for 10 minutes before frosting with cream cheese icing. Serve warm!

recipe adapted from Moms Who Think

and because I'm a little weird, this is a little video I took as I oohed and aaahhhed over the yummy smell and bubbling deliciousness

I know that Christmas is over, but this is the perfect breakfast treat for any cold Saturday morning. You have to leave a little wiggle room in your New Years Resolutions, and there's a lot of winter left :) These completely fill your home with a delicious cinnamon sugar fragrance and warm happiness. I'm not even kidding. These fill your home with happiness.