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White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Rolls

These decadent cinnamon rolls are the perfect treat to enjoy for brunch! They're filled with white chocolate, cream cheese, and vanilla bean cinnamon sugar!

Course Breakfast
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 3/4 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
  • 1/4 cup sugar + 1 pinch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate

For the filling

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • seeds from one vanilla bean
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup chopped white chocolate

For the glaze

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ounce chopped white chocolate
  • seeds from one vanilla bean
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Begin by making the dough. Add the warm milk to the bowl of your electric mixer. Add the yeast and pinch of sugar and let sit for 5-10 minutes or until mixture is foamy.

  2. Add the sugar, salt, eggs, and butter and mix with a whisk until combined. Add flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined.

  3. Fit your mixer with the dough hook and mix on medium-high speed for 8-10 minutes. If you don't have an electric mixer, you can knead the dough with your hands on your countertop (just make sure you dust it well with flour). Add the chopped chocolate to the dough during the last minute or two of mixing. If there are chunks left at the bottom of the mixing bowl, knead them into the dough by hand after mixing.

  4. Once dough is finished, spray the inside of a medium bowl with cooking spray or rub with butter and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 1-1½ hours.

  5. Once dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a floured work surface. Roll out into a 16" x 12" rectangle.

  6. Place chopped white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments or until melted. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Spread mixture in an even, thin layer over the dough, leaving an inch or two of room at the far edge. In a medium bowl, massage together the sugar and vanilla bean seeds until combined. Add the cinnamon and stir to combine. Sprinkle mixture over the cream cheese layer.

  7. Starting with the long edge without the inch of room, and roll the dough into a log and seal the seam by pinching it together with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, slice into 9 1'' thick slices.

  8. Grease a 10-12'' baking dish (mine was circular) with softened butter and place the rolls in the dish. Cover with a towel and let rise for an additional 45 minutes.

  9. Once rolls have almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350℉. Bake for 30 minutes or until rolls are puffy and golden brown. Let cool slightly before covering in the glaze.

  10. To make the glaze, add butter and white chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Add the vanilla bean seeds and whisk to combine. Add the powdered sugar and whisk again to combine. Add the heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the rolls (you might not use all of it), and serve!