Going to the mall is a suburban rite of passage. As a kid, I could tell you where the Sanrio store in Great Mall was located on the map with my eyes closed. As a teen, I would force my parents to drive me to the Weberstown Mall just so I could venture into the gothic abyss that was Hot Topic in the early aughts. As an adult, I find myself in a city like New York where gigantic malls are so out of place. Sometimes, I just miss the act of going to a mall and losing myself in a crowd of people when I’m now so cooped up inside my apartment. Although I’ve lived in different cities and gone to dozens of malls in my lifetime, there is one common denominator that is the mark of a Good mall: Cinnabon.
I love the ooey gooey-ness of a hot Cinnabon classic roll smothered in that heavenly cream cheese frosting. I remember buying extra servings of the frosting just so I could have more at home when I microwave leftovers (if I didn’t eat all of it in one sitting!). My mom would try to object to my requests for a pitstop at Cinnabon, but my dad would always say yes. When I was working in Midtown, I’d randomly have a hankering for Cinnabon so I’d brave the Burger King/Cinnabon combo franchise on 34th Street just to feel something.
With no Cinnabon locations anywhere near me in Bed-Stuy, I’ve submitted to making my own cinnamon rolls at home! I didn’t make my first batch of cinnamon rolls until earlier this year, and the hardest part is just waiting for the dough to rise. It’s so satisfying to see the cinnamon swirls start to ooze when they come out of the oven. With this recipe, I wanted to do an updated take on a classic.
These black sesame cinnamon rolls with matcha crème fraîche are not as sweet as the Cinnabon rolls I love, but it should be Asian-mom approved. The natural bitterness of the matcha balances the sweetness of powdered sugar in the glaze. It’s not sickeningly sweet at all! Black sesame has a nutty flavor that complements every part of the roll too. I hope y’all enjoy these mini rolls with your family because it makes A LOT and enough for you to share with your loved ones missing their local mall.
Mini Black Sesame Cinnamon Rolls w/ Matcha Crème Fraîche Glaze
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm whole milk (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
For the Filling:
- 1/4 cup black tahini I use the Kevala brand you can find at Whole Foods!
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
To Pour Over Risen Rolls:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder, sifted
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons toasted black & white sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
For the Dough & Filling:
- Gently warm the milk to 110°F (lukewarm bath temp.). You can microwave the milk for about 1 minute and 10-15 seconds to do so. Pour milk into a large bowl with the yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Stir and let sit until bubbles form and yeast is activated.
- Stir in remaining sugar, eggs, salt and melted butter.
- Add the flour and mix using the beater blade just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids.
- Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook.
- Beat the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. **The dough will be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That’s ok! Don’t be tempted to add more flour at this point.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
- Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap.
- Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, combine the tahini, crème fraîche, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until well combined. Set aside.
- Sprinkle a pastry mat generously with flour. Turn out the dough onto the pastry mat and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour.
- Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a very large rectangle (about 26″x18″ if you can get it that big).
- Use a rubber spatula to smooth the cinnamon filling over the whole dough rectangle.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle in half lengthwise. Then, cut 1" strips in the opposite direction. You should end up with about 40-48 strips.
- Roll up each strip into a small roll, jelly roll style and place the rolls in 2 greased 9×13 baking pans.
- Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes or until nearly double in size.
- While rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it too hot…you just don’t want it cold. It should be warm to the touch.
- Once the rolls have risen, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls.
- Bake 2 trays on top shelf of oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. If the rolls are getting too browned on top, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
For the Glaze:
- Combine crème fraîche and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Add matcha and 2 cups of confectioners' sugar all at once and whisk until fluffy and of drizzling consistency.
- Use immediately to drizzle on top of each cinnamon roll while the rolls are still warm, using a rubber spatula or butter knife to spread out the glaze. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
