Even though it’s just going to be me, my husband, and the cats this year, a large pan of these High Altitude Dirty Chai Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls will be on my Christmas morning table. I usually make plain cinnamon rolls or monkey bread, but this year? We’ve all been forced to drink from the fire hose of disaster since March, and the fatigue is real. It’s time for something new and different, even if it’s only in cinnamon roll form. These big, fluffy, gooey rolls are an appropriate start, I think. They’re an outrageously decadent marriage of creamy, spicy, coffee-scented “dirty” chai and sweet, tangy, buttery, pastry. You’re going to love every drippy, sticky bite.
Sourdough *AND* Yeast!
We start, as we have so many times this year, with sourdough starter. You want nice, active bubbly starter, even though, since this is a heavier dough enriched with milk and eggs, we’ll give it a boost with a little instant yeast. You could make these rolls with yeast alone, but I love the tang sourdough brings to all that spicy sweetness. It also helps create a lovely, moist texture.
A Triple-Punch of Warm Spice
Chai spices – a mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper – are infused into every element of the recipe: the dough, the filling, and the glaze.
First we steep them in warm milk, which is integrated into the dough.
Are you one of those people, by the way, who eats the iced part of the cinnamon roll first? And then the middle, with the highest concentration of spicy filling? And then (ahem) maybe chucks the remaining scraps? Yes? Oh good, I’m not alone.
I hope this recipe will cure us both of that habit, because the dough itself is absolutely delicious – sweet, buttery, and subtly spicy.
This dough comes together easily and is really nice to work with; it’s not overly sticky or fussy. A stand mixer makes it super easy to mix and knead, but you can do both by hand if needed (it’ll just take a little longer). After a nice long bulk proof (about three hours), you’ll roll out your lovely puffy dough into a big rectangle, lovingly slather it with melted butter, and pile on the filling. The filling contains (of course) more chai spice, as well as caramel-ly brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and some flour to hold it all together.
How we roll
I like a roll with plenty of filling. Nothing’s worse than a cinnamon roll that seems barely dusted with sugar and spice. If you’ve committed to an indulgent treat, go big.
With your filling in place, carefully roll the dough into a log. Start at the end closest to you, rolling away from yourself, gently tugging and pulling the dough into a tight roll. Gaps inevitably occur during baking, but a tight roll will help keep your filling cozily in place. Seal the bottom so you don’t have any leaks, and then slice into twelve even portions. Use the sharpest knife you’ve got, to avoid squashing the dough or creating ragged edges.
Then tuck the rolls into a generously buttered pan (one 9″x13″ pan or two smaller pans). Let them rise a couple hours at room temp, or overnight in the fridge. One thing I love about this recipe is that you don’t need to stress out about a schedule (the last thing we need during the holidays, even if we are home all the time). You can easily make these in advance (freeze them, even) and bake them when you’re ready.
Here’s where it gets dirty
The “dirty” part of these Dirty Chai Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls comes in the form of their luscious, melt-in-your-mouth glaze. If you’re unfamiliar with “dirty” chai, it’s simply a traditional chai tea latte with a shot of espresso. This is a basic icing, just a mix of powdered sugar, more chai spice, butter, and a splash of espresso or strong coffee. The nutty bitterness of the coffee is such an unexpected complement to the sweet-spicy-buttery flavors, and really makes the rolls feel extra-special.
Seriously, this glaze is absolutely addictive and I one hundred percent recommend drizzling a little extra on your serving. (Also, look how high and fluffy those rolls are!)
If you need me on Christmas Day, I’ll be right here, fork in hand, in front of a Bing Crosby movie marathon. Happiest of holidays to you and yours!
Looking for more holiday breakfast recipes? Why not try one of these:
- Orange Scones with Cinnamon-Vanilla Glaze
- Lemon Blackberry Breakfast Cake
- Tasty Breakfast Baguettes
- Pistachio-Apple Scones
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins
High Altitude Dirty Chai Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins plus rising time
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
Description
Vibrant with buttery chai spice and a sweet coffee kick, High Altitude Dirty Chai Cinnamon Rolls are soft, pillowy, and good to the last scrap.
Ingredients
CHAI SPICE MIX
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
DOUGH
- 3/4 cup whole milk (low-fat ok
- 2 tsp chai spice mix
- 1 cup ripe/active sourdough starter
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (4 TB) salted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast*
- 1 tsp kosher salt
FILLING
- 6 TB salted butter, melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 TB chai spice mixture
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
ICING
- 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp Chai Spice Mix
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 TB butter, melted
- 2 TB brewed espresso or strong black coffee
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the spices for the chai spice mix; set aside.
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the milk and 2 tsp of the chai spice mix. Heat, stirring constantly, for a minute or two, until the milk is steaming and the spices fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to let the milk cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sourdough starter, egg, butter, sugar, warm spiced milk, and yeast; mix until combined. Add the flour and continue to mix until the flour is absorbed and you have a sticky dough. Remove bowl, cover, and let rest for 15-30 minutes. Sprinkle the 1 tsp salt on the dough, work it in until distributed, and let rest 15 more mins.
- Return the dough to the mixer, this time fitted with the dough hook. Knead on low speed for 3-5 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and firm (alternatively, you can knead by hand for 10-15 minutes). Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rest in a warm spot for approximately 3 hours, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.
- While the dough is proofing, make the filling: combine brown sugar, 1 TB chai spice mix, salt, and flour and mix until the mixture is thoroughly moistened.
- At the end of the dough’s first proof, transfer it to a lightly floured surface (I like to use a silicone mat for this). Gently using a rolling ping or your hands, shape it into a rectangle approximately 15″x20″ and about 1/4 inch thick. Be patient here, as excessive manhandling can deflate your dough too much. If the dough resists stretching and is bouncing back, allow it to relax for 10 minutes or so and try again.
- Spread the melted butter evenly over the dough, followed by the sugar & spice mixture, leaving a small (approx 1/2 inch) border around the edges. Starting from a short end, carefully roll the dough into a log. Roll away from you, gently pulling and tugging to ensure a tight roll with no gaps. If the ends of the roll splay out, simply tuck/pat them in so they are roughly flat. Pinch the seam at the bottom to seal it (it helps to wet your fingers with water for this).
- Using a very sharp knife, slice the log into twelve even pieces. Butter a 9″x13″ pan or two 9″ baking tins or pie plates. Place the rolls in the pan(s), spacing them evenly. If baking the same day, allow the rolls to rest an additional 2-3 hours, until expanded by at least 1/3 and nicely puffy. If you plan to bake the next day, cover the rolls and and refrigerate them overnight (plan to take the rolls out about 2-3 hours before you bake and allow them to come to room temperature and finish rising).
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. If you are concerned about the dough being done all the way through, check the internal temperature – they are cooked through at approximately 190 degrees F. Allow the rolls to cool on a rack for a few minutes prior to icing.
- While the rolls are baking, make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar with the chai spice mix, brewed espresso, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix, adding additional espresso as needed, until you reach your desired consistency (I like to keep the icing fairly thin and drizzle/pour it on, but if you prefer a thicker, frosting-like icing, keep it thicker, adding more powdered sugar if needed). Drizzle or spread the icing on the warm rolls and serve immediately.
- The rolls are best eaten straight away, within a day or two at most, unless you’re freezing them (see notes, below). Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
*you do not strictly have to use yeast in this recipe, particularly if your sourdough starter is very active, but it does better ensure a light and fluffy roll.
If you wish to make these ahead of time, you can freeze the rolls prior to baking. Simply place the cut rolls on a piece of parchment on a baking sheet and freeze until firm (15-30 mins), then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a plastic bag for up to two weeks (any longer and you risk the yeast dying). When you’re ready to bake, place them in a buttered pan and allow to defrost and finish rising (this will take several hours). Alternatively, you can freeze the rolls after baking (but before icing). Allow the rolls to come to room temperature before re-heating.
My mouth is watering, reading this post! It all looks so delicious and that frosting, pure Heaven!!!
If your heaven includes sugar, butter, and spice (mine definitely does), then you’ll be there! 🙂
So happy to have this recipe! Made these Christmas morning and they were delicious!!! I made half (6) dirty chai and the other half orange chai by using fresh squeezed orange juice and zest in the frosting instead of espresso. Worked beautifully! Another successful recipe! Thank you!!
Love the idea of using orange!!
Could you provide instructions for using only yeast (no sourdough starter)? Thanks!