Matcha cinnamon rolls: the recipe for green cinnamon rolls
The cinnamon roll is the ultimate comfort bake. Add a matcha glaze and it becomes a showstopper: a vibrant green and a gentle grassy sweetness that balances the sugary cinnamon. The recipe asks for a little patience while the dough rises, but nothing difficult. Here's how to nail them at home.
Dough ingredients (makes 9 rolls)
- •400 g plain flour
- •7 g dried yeast
- •50 g sugar
- •1 pinch of salt
- •200 ml lukewarm milk
- •1 egg
- •60 g softened butter
Filling and matcha glaze
- •Filling: 70 g softened butter, 80 g brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- •Glaze: 100 g cream cheese (Philadelphia-style), 60 g icing sugar, 2 teaspoons of matcha and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk
Method, step by step
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the lukewarm milk and the egg, knead for 5 minutes, then work in the softened butter and knead for another 5 minutes, until you have a smooth dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour somewhere warm: it should double in size.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle of roughly 30 x 40 cm. Mix the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, then spread it over the whole surface. Roll the dough up tightly along the long side, then cut it into 9 even slices.
Arrange the rolls in a buttered dish, cover and leave to rise for another 30 minutes. Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 22 to 25 minutes, until nicely golden.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: sift the matcha with the icing sugar, then whisk with the cream cheese and milk until smooth. Spread over the still-warm rolls and finish with a pinch of matcha.
The trick for a really green glaze
Matcha doesn't love heat: that's why it goes in the glaze, spread over warm rather than piping-hot rolls. Its colour stays vivid and its flavour gentle. A ceremonial-grade matcha gives a brighter green than a culinary matcha, which is often duller and more bitter.
Indulgent variations
- •White chocolate: replace the cream cheese with 80 g of white chocolate melted with a little cream.
- •Red berries: scatter a few raspberries over the filling before rolling.
- •Matcha in the filling too: add 1 teaspoon of matcha to the butter and sugar mixture for rolls that are green right to the centre.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the cinnamon rolls the night before?+
Yes. Once the rolls are cut and arranged in the dish, cover it and pop it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, let them come back to room temperature for 45 minutes, then bake.
Why put the matcha in the glaze rather than the dough?+
Baking dulls matcha and can make it bitter. Added cold to the glaze, it keeps its vibrant colour and gentle flavour.
How long do the rolls keep?+
Two days in an airtight container. Warm them for a few seconds before eating and they'll be soft again.