Fluffy and Moist Ube Cinnamon Rolls

One of my favorite sweet breakfasts of all time are cinnamon rolls, so I am so excited to share this recipe for ube cinnamon rolls with you. Included in this recipe are all the tips you need to make a sweet yeasted dough from scratch and techniques on how to achieve the perfect swirl.

Most of the time, I like eating a savory breakfast like banh mi or congee, but sometimes, I am in the mood for something sweet. One of my favorite sweet breakfasts of all time is cinnamon rolls! I make them every year right around fall or winter, and my family eats them all. This year I decided to make some ube cinnamon rolls.

Ube is the perfect ingredient to use in cinnamon rolls because it balances out the sweetness from the sugar. I’ve used it in previous breakfast recipes like in my ube mochi pancakes and ube mochi donuts, and it always makes the recipe better!

What is ube?

Ube is another name for purple yam. This ingredient is often used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and is especially popular in Filipino cuisine. It has a vanilla pistachio flavor that goes really well in both sweet and savory dishes. Personally, I like it in desserts. When I make ube desserts, I typically use ube in the form of ube halaya which is when purple yam, butter, coconut milk, and other ingredients are combined to create a jam.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

Dough

• Buttermilk – Adds moisture to these cinnamon rolls. In past recipes, I’ve used whole milk, but I find that buttermilk adds more flavor. If you can’t find buttermilk, use whole milk.
• Active dry yeast – This helps the dough rise and gives it its fluffy texture. Make sure to dissolve it in warm water (about 110 degrees F) before using.
• Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to this recipe. You can also use brown sugar for this recipe, but it will add more moisture to this dough. You might need to add more flour if you use brown sugar.
• Unsalted butter – Make sure to use unsalted butter, so you can control the salt in your dough.
• Egg – Provides richness to the dough.
• Salt – Brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
• All purpose flour – This is the main dry ingredient in this dough.

Ube Filling

• Ube halaya – I used store bought ube halaya. Another option is to use butter, but you won’t get as much ube flavor.
• Light brown sugar – Adds sweetness to the cinnamon roll. Dark brown sugar can be used as a substitute, but it is a lot sweeter than light brown sugar.
• Ground cinnamon – Use any kind of ground cinnamon you can find. I like to use Vietnamese cinnamon.

How to make ube cinnamon rolls

Heat buttermilk for 40 seconds in the microwave until the liquid reaches 100-110 degrees F. I like to do this in a liquid measuring cup. Add the yeast and sugar and mix. Next, add butter to a large bowl. Pour sugar/buttermilk mixture into the bowl. Whisk with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the butter has broken down.

Add the egg, salt, and ube extract. Mix until incorporated. Lastly, add the flour and combine until a dough forms. Empty the dough onto a floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer for the same amount of time. If the dough still seems wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it doesn’t stick to your hands. It can be normal to add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more flour.

Cover with a wet towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size. Once the dough is done proofing, punch out the air. Then roll it out into a 12×12 inch square. Smear the top of the dough with ube halaya. Top with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll into a log and cut into 9 equal pieces. Cut the log into 3 equal pieces and then divide each piece into 3 equal pieces. Place the cinnamon rolls into a greased 9×9 pan. Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). After the last proof (rise), bake for 20-25 minutes uncovered until the edges are light brown. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, combine all the ingredients for the glaze and mix. Set aside. Cool for 5-10 minutes before adding the glaze.

What is the key to the perfect cinnamon rolls?

Practice. I know this is probably a pretty boring answer, but it’s true. Every time you make cinnamon rolls, the dough will be different. Sometimes it’s more dry. Sometimes it doesn’t rise as quickly. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. But if you practice and understand how the dough should feel in a good batch of cinnamon rolls, then you will know how to adjust if it doesn’t feel right.

How do I know I’ve kneaded my dough enough?

I learned this trick from the great Claire Saffitz. She calls it the windowpane test. Pinch off some of your dough and flatten it out into a thin rectangle shape and hold it up to the light. If you stretch the dough so it’s thin enough for light to pass through and it doesn’t break, your dough has been kneaded enough.

How do I know the dough has proofed enough?

The dough will have doubled in size, and when you press into it, it will bounce back but leaving a small dent.

Use the correct technique to measure out your flour

One of the biggest mistakes I see when measuring flour is using the measure cup to scoop out the flour. This is a mistake because when you use your measuring cup as your scoop, you are actually compressing the flour into the measuring cup. Compressing the flour means you are using more flour than you intended to. The correct way to measure flour is using a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup and then leveling it off with a straight edge. This might sound a little crazy, but trust me it makes a difference. It’s little things like this that take your baking from good to great.

You may use more or less flour for your batch of cinnamon rolls

The hydration of flour varies across brands. This means that you might need more flour to achieve the desired texture. The best way to know if your dough needs more flour is to see if the dough is sticking to your hands. If they’re sticking to your hands, they need more flour.

How do you get the perfect swirl in your cinnamon rolls?

The real key to the perfect swirl is to roll out your dough into a perfect 12×12 square. No you don’t have to be absolutely perfect, but you do want it to be as close as possible.

How to use dental floss to achieve the perfect cuts

I unfortunately did not get a picture of myself doing this but this is a great video of Sohla doing when she was still at Bon Appetit (skip to 10:10). It’s better to just watch the video instead of me trying to describe how to do, but trust me it’s way easier especially if you don’t have a really good cerated knife.

What do I do if my glaze is too watery or too thick?

There is a lot of variation in the liquid content between different brands of coconut milk, so you may need to change the amount of each ingredient you use to achieve the glaze that is the perfect consistency for you. If the glaze is too watery, add more powdered sugar. If the glaze is too thick, add more coconut milk.

Did you make this dish?

f you made this dish, I would love to see!

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