We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise.
Yields:
12
Prep Time:
1 hr 40 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 5 mins
Sure, Cinnabon is great and all. But I'm here to give you permission to cheat on your favorite buns with these sweet and nutty pastries you can make yourself, courtesy of TikTok-famous chef and restauranteur Tuê Nguyễn, who you may know better as @TwayDaBae.
Take a peek down below and you'll see she's blessed us with a recipe for Pandan Cinnamon Rolls, from her new cookbook, Đi Ăn, which came out on September 17th. And, like most of her Vietnamese-with-a-twist dishes, these rolls contain a little something special. In this case, that’s pandan extract, taken from a Southeast Asian plant that, Nguyễn says, “has an unmistakable bright-green hue and a fresh, vanilla-like aroma. I’m always looking for ways to experiment with it.” Who needs green eggs and ham when you can make these tasty treats for your holiday brunch, amirite?!
So, be sure to save this page and snag the ingredients so you can experiment with your own batch. Or, you know, a double batch...because you’ll want to save some for your guests, obviously.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
8Tbsp.
unsalted butter
2Tbsp.
granulated sugar
2Tbsp.
light-brown sugar
1Tbsp.
ground cinnamon
Coconut Cream Cheese Glaze
8oz.
cream cheese, room temperature
2Tbsp.
unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2c.
canned coconut milk
1c.
powdered sugar
Pandan Roll Dough
1c.
whole milk
21/4tsp.
(one envelope) active dry yeast
4c.
all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4c.
granulated sugar
1/4c.
(packed) light-brown sugar
2
large eggs
5Tbsp.
unsalted butter, melted
2tsp.
pandan extract
1/2c.
canned coconut milk
Directions
STEP ONE
Make the cinnamon sugar filling: In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat, whisking until it starts to foam and then subside, 4 to 6 minutes. When you see brown specks appear, take it off the heat. Transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl. Chill in the fridge.
STEP TWO
In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, light-brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
STEP THREE
Make the coconut cream cheese glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, coconut milk, and powdered sugar until smooth. Set aside.
STEP FOUR
Make the pandan roll dough: Warm milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds or over low heat in a small saucepan to 100°F, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour yeast into milk, stir, and let bloom until it starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.
STEP FIVE
Sift the flour, granulated sugar, and light-brown sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs, melted butter, pandan extract, and the milk-yeast mixture. Give it a good mix on medium speed until everything blends. The dough should feel tacky.
STEP SIX
Flour a clean work surface and dump out the dough. Knead it for 5 minutes until smooth. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rise until it doubles in size, 45 to 50 minutes.
STEP SEVEN
Once the dough has risen, roll it out to a rectangle, about 18 inches long and 1⁄4-inch thick. Spread the chilled brown butter on top and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
STEP EIGHT
Roll the dough into a long log and then use a knife or unflavored dental floss to cut it crosswise into 12 pieces, 1 1⁄2 inches wide. Place the rolls, cut side up and spaced 1⁄2 inch apart, in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and let rise for another 40 minutes.
STEP NINE
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush coconut milk over the rolls and bake until they expand, 25 to 30 minutes.
STEP TEN
When they come out of the oven, drizzle half of the cream cheese glaze over the rolls, and spread. Serve warm with extra glaze on the side.
Fun fact: People in Vietnam put pandan leaves in their cars as an air freshener!
Apologies if you're drooling right about now, but I'm glad we got the recipe in your hands in time for the holidays. I know what I'm making for my family on Christmas morning, just saying...
Di An: The Salty, Sour, Sweet and Spicy Flavors of Vietnamese Cooking With TwayDaBae: A Cookbook
Now, if you're all like, "Wow, I'd sure like to sample some more dishes dreamed up by Tuê," I highly recommend doing three things:
(1) Following her at @TwayDaBae on IG and the clock app, where she consistently posts recipes inspired by her Vietnamese-American heritage. (2) Visiting her restaurant, ĐiĐi, in West Hollywood, where she acts as both the chef and owner (don't sleep on their signature fried rice). And, finally, (3) Copping a copy of Đi Ăn, out everywhere now, where you'll find killer recipes for rolls, bowls, dumplings, noodle dishes, and so much more.
When your friends/family/partner are obsessed with the meal you made them, you know who to thank!
Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can't afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.
Jump to recipe
