Cinnamon rolls are a sweet bakery item made from a yeast-leavened dough that is rolled out flat, coated with a cinnamon sugar mixture, rolled up into a log, cut into individual portions, and baked. They are a popular breakfast and brunch item around the world. But are cinnamon rolls made from puff pastry?
The Short Answer
No, cinnamon rolls are not made from puff pastry. Cinnamon rolls are made from a yeast-leavened dough while puff pastry is made by folding butter into dough in layers. So while they both involve dough and rolling, cinnamon rolls and puff pastry are quite different products.
Cinnamon Roll Dough
Cinnamon roll dough is made from a fairly straightforward list of ingredients: flour, yeast, milk, eggs, butter, and sugar. It is similar to other yeast-leavened sweet doughs used for baked goods like dinner rolls and brioche. The main characteristics of cinnamon roll dough are:
- It contains yeast, which helps the dough rise.
- It includes eggs and butter for richness.
- It has sugar for sweetness.
- It does not use puff pastry’s signature layering technique.
This dough is kneaded to develop the gluten, which gives the rolls their chewy texture. It is then rolled out into a thin sheet, spread with a cinnamon-sugar mixture, and rolled up into a log shape before slicing and baking.
Basic Cinnamon Roll Dough Recipe
Here is a basic cinnamon roll dough recipe:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 500g |
| Granulated sugar | 100g |
| Salt | 5g |
| Instant yeast | 14g |
| Milk, warmed | 240ml |
| Large eggs, room temperature | 2 |
| Butter, softened | 115g |
Puff Pastry Dough
Puff pastry dough, on the other hand, is made quite differently from cinnamon roll dough. The main characteristics of puff pastry are:
- It is made by enveloping butter within dough through folding and rolling.
- It uses no yeast or chemical leaveners.
- It relies on steam from the butter layers to rise.
- It has a flaky, crispy texture when baked.
Making puff pastry is a multi-step process that creates sheets of butter wrapped inside dough. This allows steam from the butter to puff the pastry up dramatically when baked.
Basic Puff Pastry Recipe
Here is a basic puff pastry recipe:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 250g |
| Cold butter, cubed | 250g |
| Cold water | 125ml |
| Salt | 5g |
The butter is enveloped in the dough through a sequence of rolling, folding, and turning. This creates layers that puff dramatically when baked.
Key Differences
From these descriptions, we can see some key differences between cinnamon roll and puff pastry dough:
Leavening
Cinnamon rolls use yeast for leavening and rise. Puff pastry uses no leavening, relying solely on steam.
Ingredients
Cinnamon rolls include eggs and milk for richness and sugar for sweetness. Puff pastry uses only butter, flour, salt, and water.
Technique
Cinnamon rolls are made by simply mixing and kneading a dough. Puff pastry requires careful rolling, folding, and turning.
Texture
Cinnamon rolls have a soft, chewy texture. Puff pastry is flaky and crispy.
Uses
Given their distinct characteristics, cinnamon rolls and puff pastry are used in very different ways in baking:
Cinnamon Rolls
- Sweet breakfast or brunch item
- Icing or glaze provides an extra sweet touch
- Soft, pillowy, chewy texture
Puff Pastry
- Savory appetizers like palmiers, cheese straws
- Sweet desserts like Napoleon, galette, croissants
- Flaky, crispy layers stand out in texture
While cinnamon rolls are enjoyed on their own, puff pastry acts more as a wrapper or component of a dish.
Conclusion
Cinnamon rolls and puff pastry are two different types of dough used in baking. Cinnamon rolls are made from a yeast-leavened dough that is soft and chewy when baked. Puff pastry relies on folded butter layers to create a crispy, flaky texture after baking. While the doughs are rolled out during preparation, the ingredients, technique, textures, and uses of cinnamon rolls versus puff pastry are quite distinct. So cinnamon rolls are not made from puff pastry – they have their own unique dough and identity as a sweet bakery treat!