Cinnamon Rolls Soaked in Tres Leches

5 from 13 votes

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: rolls

Calories: 300kcal

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
⅓ 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

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. If you're not using a mixer, you'll need to knead the dough by hand for 2-3 minutes. The dough should feel slightly tacky, but not sticky.
Gather the dough 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.
While the dough is rising, make the filling by combining ½ of a cup of brown sugar with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon and 8 tablespoons of softened butter. Mix until it's all smooth.

Transfer the dough to a a floured surface roll it 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 border along the edges.
Roll the dough tightly with the long edge in front of you. Pull the dough towards you as you roll it. Use floss or a knife to mark where you’re going to cut the rolls. You’ll want to space the markings about 1 and ½ to 2 inches from each other, and end up with 12 rolls. Use floss or a sharp knife to cut the rolls.

Arrange the cinnamon rolls into 3 rows of 4 in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Try to leave some 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.

Once the cinnamon rolls have risen, remove the kitchen towel, and bake them 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 golden in color, remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and let them cool fully.

To make the tres leches: combine evaporated milk, heavy cream, condensed milk and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup using a whisk. Set it aside until the cinnamon rolls are ready.
Prepare the frosting in a separate bowl by mixing the softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon together. 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.

Use a butter knife or wooden skewer 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 at least 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.

Calories: 300kcal