When I saw homemade almond croissants trending on social media, I wasn’t surprised. I used to pump out hundreds of them weekly as a pastry chef, and I’m not going to lie; I was not an almond person…until I took one bite of these almond croissant cinnamon rolls!
They’re perfectly sweet with a forward, not overly strong almond flavor from the almond frangipane filling and almond glaze. I used my classic Cinnabon-style cinnamon roll recipe as the base, so of course, they’re super gooey and still have a hint of brown sugar and cinnamon flavor in the filling. They’re basically almond croissants in cinnamon roll form…but so much better!!
Not an almond person? I get it! Lucky for you, I have over 15 different cinnamon roll recipes you can try, like my sweet and savory bourbon maple bacon rolls or my fruity raspberry blackberry cinnamon rolls!
How to Make Them
1
Make the tangzhong. In pastry school, I learned this technique, which is used in many breads and pastries. It’s a simple roux mixture of cooked flour and water that keeps the rolls insanely soft and moist for days!
2
Combine the wet and dry ingredients in a stand mixing bowl. Once combined, it will look like a rough, shaggy dough ball.
3
Knead until a smooth, elastic dough ball forms. Mix the butter in just one tablespoon at a time. This allows the butter to fully coat the gluten strands in the flour, resulting in a soft, tender texture!
4
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This time is key to allowing the gluten to relax, making it easy to roll it out in the next step.
5
Make the sweet almond filling. I found it easier to make this in a mixing bowl instead of by hand.
6
Roll out the dough, then spread the cinnamon almond frangipane filling across it. You want a nice, even layer across the dough!
Another one of my favorite viral cinnamon rolls has got to be my chocolate chip cookie rolls. They have the same base as this recipe but are stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough!
7
Cut into strips and roll each one into a roll. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into twelve equal-sized strips, then roll them up! Place them in a 9×13 baking pan and set them aside to rise in a warm place.
8
Let the cinnamon rolls rise until they double in size. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re barely touching each other, and the dough feels airy when touched.
9
Time to bake! You’ll know they’re done baking when a thermometer inserted into the middle rolls reads 185°F and the tops are lightly golden brown.
10
After cooling briefly, pour the almond cream icing over the tops. Sprinkle with sliced almonds for the full croissant effect, and enjoy!!
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Gooey Almond Croissant Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 1/4 cup bread flour
- 3/4 cup water
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 3 2/3 cups bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Tangzhong from above
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Cinnamon Almond Frangipane Filling
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup finely ground blanched almond meal
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Almond Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- Sliced almonds, for the tops
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, make the tangzhong by whisking together the water and all-purpose flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is a paste-like slurry. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside until ready to use.1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour, 3/4 cup (155 g) water
- In a stand mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the cream, milk, egg, vanilla, and tangzhong to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes until it forms a rough dough ball.3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream, 1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1 (50 g) large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, Tangzhong from above
- With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Then, continue kneading for another 8-10 minutes or until the dough looks smooth and elastic.6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter
- Remove the dough from the bowl and pull the sides into the bottom to create a smooth round ball. Place it seam-side down back into the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- While the dough rests, make the filling. In a stand mixing bowl, combine the butter, almond meal, sugar, brown sugar, egg, cinnamon, almond extract, and salt until smooth.8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (98 g) finely ground blanched almond meal, 6 tablespoons (80 g) granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (66 g) light brown sugar, 1 (50 g) large egg, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pure almond extract, Pinch of fine sea salt
- Place the rested dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 15×21 rectangle, with the longest side closest to you. Dollop the almond filling mixture across the surface of the dough, then use an offset spatula to gently spread it across, leaving a 1/2-inch border clean at the top.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined 9×13 baking pan.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for 1-2 hours or until the rolls double in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 F/162 C.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the center rolls reaches 185°F.
- While the rolls are briefly cooling, make the frosting. Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, heavy cream, milk, and almond extract until smooth. Pour the frosting over the warm rolls, sprinkle with sliced almonds, and enjoy!2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 3 tablespoons whole milk, 1 teaspoon pure almond extract, Sliced almonds
Video
Notes
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