Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls with Orange Almond Icing
Thomas J. Story
At a Sunset trip along the Umpqua River in Oregon, Jen Stevenson wowed the group with these fragrant rolls, which we’ve adapted from a recipe in her book with Marnie Hanel, The Campout Cookbook (Artisan, 2018). Shape and freeze the dough at home, then thaw it in a cooler. For rising, set the dutch oven of rolls near a campfire and rotate often. Or light a chimney of coals at the edge of a cold fire ring, arrange coals inside the perimeter, and set the oven in the center. (For cooking tips, see “Going Dutch,” at the bottom of the recipe.)
How to Make It
At Home
1
Make dough: Stir together milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and very warm (120° to 130°), then remove from heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 cups flour, the yeast, granulated sugar, and salt. Using dough hook, mix ingredients on low speed until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, then add milk mixture. Knead on lowest speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm spot until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
2
Make icing: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until smooth, then add powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Mix in sour cream, orange zest, and almond extract until smooth. Transfer icing to an 8-oz. canning jar or small resealable plastic bag and chill or freeze.
3
Make filling: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest in a medium bowl. When dough has nearly finished rising, melt the 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan and let cool slightly.
4
Punch down dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 12- by-18-in. rectangle. With a pastry brush, spread melted butter over dough, then sprinkle filling evenly on top. Roll dough lengthwise into a tight log and crimp long edge tightly to seal. Use a tape measure and paring knife to mark 1 1/2-in. rounds, then slide a piece of dental floss or fishing twine underneath; cross ends of floss above log and pull firmly, cleanly slicing each roll. Wrap sliced log in plastic wrap and set in a plastic container. Chill in a cooler or freeze (along with icing, butter for greasing, and extra orange zest; thaw to continue).
In Camp
5
Grease a 6-qt. (12-in.) camp dutch oven with 1 tbsp. butter. Arrange cinnamon rolls sliced side up in a single layer in dutch oven. Cover with lid and let rolls rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
6
About 20 minutes before rolls are done rising, prep charcoals (see “Going Dutch,” below.) Arrange coals for baking with 8 coals under oven and 17 on lid (including 2 in center). Bake until rolls are browned and cooked through, 20 to 35 minutes. Remove dutch oven from coals, uncover, and let rolls cool slightly. Spread or squeeze icing on top and sprinkle with additional zest.
Going Dutch
7
A dutch oven lets you simmer, sauté, and even bake with a fire’s embers. Or, for more heat control, light the precise number of charcoal briquets a recipe calls for and you can literally count your way to success.
8
PACK SUPPLIES. Bring fuel for a wood fire, or charcoal briquets, chimney starter, and newspaper; butane lighter; 4-qt. (10-in.) and 6-qt. (12-in.) camp dutch ovens with feet and flanged lids (lodgemfg.com); grilling tongs; grilling gloves.
9
PREP THE FIRE. In a fire ring with the grate pushed away, build a campfire and mound about 3 qts. of hot embers to the side. Or half-fill a chimney starter with charcoal briquets, ignite using newspaper, and let burn until spotted gray, 15 to 20 minutes; as you cook, ignite more coals as needed.
10
ARRANGE THE COALS . For sautéing, use tongs to clear an even layer of coals and set the pot on top. For baking or simmering, arrange 8 to 10 briquet-size coals in a circle a little smaller than the dutch oven. Set on top with lid in place; arrange 15 to 16 more coals around lip of lid and 2 coals in center.
11
TWEAK THE TEMP . Lift handle with tongs to check food. To decrease heat, scrape away some fuel. To increase heat or cook past 30 minutes, add 5 to 6 coals every 30 minutes beneath dutch oven and 5 to 6 on top.
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup whole milk
6 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups flour, plus about 1 tbsp. for rolling
1 pkg active dry yeast
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Icing
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅓ cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp orange zest
⅛ tsp almond extract
Filling
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp orange zest
½ cup unsalted butter
For Camp
1 tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing
Orange zest, for topping rolls
Directions
At Home
1
Make dough: Stir together milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and very warm (120° to 130°), then remove from heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 cups flour, the yeast, granulated sugar, and salt. Using dough hook, mix ingredients on low speed until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, then add milk mixture. Knead on lowest speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm spot until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
2
Make icing: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until smooth, then add powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Mix in sour cream, orange zest, and almond extract until smooth. Transfer icing to an 8-oz. canning jar or small resealable plastic bag and chill or freeze.
3
Make filling: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest in a medium bowl. When dough has nearly finished rising, melt the 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan and let cool slightly.
4
Punch down dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 12- by-18-in. rectangle. With a pastry brush, spread melted butter over dough, then sprinkle filling evenly on top. Roll dough lengthwise into a tight log and crimp long edge tightly to seal. Use a tape measure and paring knife to mark 1 1/2-in. rounds, then slide a piece of dental floss or fishing twine underneath; cross ends of floss above log and pull firmly, cleanly slicing each roll. Wrap sliced log in plastic wrap and set in a plastic container. Chill in a cooler or freeze (along with icing, butter for greasing, and extra orange zest; thaw to continue).
In Camp
5
Grease a 6-qt. (12-in.) camp dutch oven with 1 tbsp. butter. Arrange cinnamon rolls sliced side up in a single layer in dutch oven. Cover with lid and let rolls rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
6
About 20 minutes before rolls are done rising, prep charcoals (see “Going Dutch,” below.) Arrange coals for baking with 8 coals under oven and 17 on lid (including 2 in center). Bake until rolls are browned and cooked through, 20 to 35 minutes. Remove dutch oven from coals, uncover, and let rolls cool slightly. Spread or squeeze icing on top and sprinkle with additional zest.
Going Dutch
7
A dutch oven lets you simmer, sauté, and even bake with a fire’s embers. Or, for more heat control, light the precise number of charcoal briquets a recipe calls for and you can literally count your way to success.
8
PACK SUPPLIES. Bring fuel for a wood fire, or charcoal briquets, chimney starter, and newspaper; butane lighter; 4-qt. (10-in.) and 6-qt. (12-in.) camp dutch ovens with feet and flanged lids (lodgemfg.com); grilling tongs; grilling gloves.
9
PREP THE FIRE. In a fire ring with the grate pushed away, build a campfire and mound about 3 qts. of hot embers to the side. Or half-fill a chimney starter with charcoal briquets, ignite using newspaper, and let burn until spotted gray, 15 to 20 minutes; as you cook, ignite more coals as needed.
10
ARRANGE THE COALS . For sautéing, use tongs to clear an even layer of coals and set the pot on top. For baking or simmering, arrange 8 to 10 briquet-size coals in a circle a little smaller than the dutch oven. Set on top with lid in place; arrange 15 to 16 more coals around lip of lid and 2 coals in center.
11
TWEAK THE TEMP . Lift handle with tongs to check food. To decrease heat, scrape away some fuel. To increase heat or cook past 30 minutes, add 5 to 6 coals every 30 minutes beneath dutch oven and 5 to 6 on top.
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