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frosted cinnamon rolls soaked in tres leches
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Cinnamon Rolls Soaked in Tres Leches

These thick, delicious Cinnamon Rolls are soaked in Tres Leches and topped with sweet and tangy frosting! A perfect combination of 2 classics!
Prep Time40 mins
Cook Time23 mins
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Course: Dessert and Drinks, Recipes
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

Dough

  • 3 ½ cups of bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 packet of instant or active yeast
  • ½ cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons of butter, softened
  • ½ cup of evaporated milk
  • cup of heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons melted butter mixed with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar for brushing the rolls

Filling

  • 8 tablespoons of butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
  • cup of dark brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of salt

Tres Leches

  • 1 cup of evaporated milk
  • ¾ cup of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Whipped Icing

  • 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup of confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, cold

Instructions

Dough instructions:

  • Warm the heavy cream and evaporated milk for the dough portion of the recipe in a small saucepan (don't let it get hot!) If you're using active yeast, add it to the warm milk/heavy cream and let it sit for 10 minutes. If you're using instant yeast, you can just mix the dry yeast with the flour and salt.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, combine the butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. Add the warm milk/cream mixture, mix it until it's combined with the other wet ingredients and then add the flour.
  • Using a dough hook, knead until the dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You can also bring the ingredients together by hand if you're not using a mixer. Once the dough is formed, it should be slightly tacky, but not sticky.
  • on a lightly floured surface, for 2 minutes (or for 10 minutes if you didn't use a dough hook).
  • into a ball and place it in a clean, greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 and ½ hours. The dough will double in size as it rests.

Assemble the rolls

  • (butter, brown sugar and cinnamon) in a small bowl and set aside.
  • On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out into a large (12x22 inch) rectangle. The dough should be about ¼ of an inch thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼ inch inch border along the edges.
  • by tightly rolling the dough (pulling the long side of the dough rectangle towards you). Place the roll seam-side down, and pinch the ends to seal the edges of the dough. Using floss (or a knife), mark where you're going to cut each of the 12 rolls. Make each mark 2 inches away from eachother, and cut the dough using floss (preferred method), or using a knife.

Second rise

  • into 3 rows of 4 in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. It's ok if the sides of the rolls touch each other, just try to leave an even amount of space between each row to allow room for the rolls to spread. Lay a kitchen towel over the baking dish and let the cinnamon rolls rise at room temperature for one hour. Once you have 15 minutes left of rising time, preheat your oven to 375°F.

Bake the cinnamon rolls

  • Once the rolls are fully risen, remove the kitchen towel, and place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 18 minutes. Brush them with 3 tablespoons of melted butter mixed with teaspoons of granulated sugar, and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Once the rolls are golden in color, let them cool in the baking dish and proceed to the next set of instructions.

Prepare the toppings

  • ingredients by whisking the heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract in a large liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
  • (in a separate bowl) by mixing the frosting ingredients (softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon). Add the powdered sugar little by little, and mix until everything is fully combined. Add the heavy cream last and beat on high speed for about 3 minutes.

Soak and frost the cinnamon rolls

  • Use something pointy to poke holes between the cinnamon rolls, and in between the layers. Pour the tres leches over the cinnamon rolls and let them soak for about 5-10 minutes (or longer if desired). Once the cinnamon rolls have absorbed most of the liquid, spread the frosting over each of the rolls and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal