Tangzhong Meets TESDA: Cinnamon Rolls With One Roux to Rule Them All

Sometimes I look at a recipe and think, that’s beautiful — but who wants to dirty six bowls and three pans just to make breakfast? Not me. I’m a big believer in shortcuts that don’t just cut time, but also cut the sink pile. That’s how this cinnamon roll recipe was born: one roux base, three uses, and only one mixer bowl the whole way through.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1962042177882774%2F&show_text=true&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true">

The Shortcut Magic: One Roux, Three Jobs

We start with a sweet roux base — flour, sugar, milk, salt — cooked together until thick and pudding-like. Think of it as a cross between the Japanese tangzhong method (that magic flour paste that makes bread stay soft for days) and the Filipino TESDA approach you may have seen online (rolls baked in a shallow bath of buttery liquid).

Here’s the hack: make that roux once, then split it.

• A scoop goes into the dough, making it tender and pillowy.

• Another portion is whipped into butter to become a silky frosting with zero sugar grit.

• The last bit becomes the bath at the bottom of your pan — bubbling up to coat the rolls in caramel-like goo.

Three birds, one saucepan. And yes, we make the frosting first so we can re-use the mixer bowl immediately for the dough. One wash, not two.

Why a Roux?

Old-school American frosting often left me with that dreaded “granny sugar crunch.” Roux-based (or ermine) frosting solves that by dissolving the sugar in milk first. The result is light, fluffy, and smooth as silk. In the dough, roux works just like tangzhong — trapping moisture so the rolls stay soft long after they cool. And in the bath? Well, let’s just say it turns your cinnamon rolls into low-key sticky buns.

Recipe: Unified Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Roux Base

• ⅓ cup (40 g) flour

• 1½ cups (360 ml) milk

• 1½ cups (300 g) sugar (our total sugar budget)

• ½ tsp salt

Whisk together, cook until thick, cool with plastic wrap touching the surface. Done.

Divide it up:

• 1 cup for frosting

• 1½ cups for dough

• ¼–⅓ cup for bath

Frosting (make first!)

• 1 cup roux base

• ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened

• 1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter fluffy, add roux base slowly, beat until silky. That’s it. Leave it covered on the counter while you make the dough.

Dough

• 1½ cups roux base

• ½ cup warm milk + 2¼ tsp (7 g) yeast

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened

• 1 tsp salt

• 4–4½ cups (480–540 g) flour

Mix milk + yeast until foamy. In mixer, combine roux base, eggs, butter, salt. Add yeast mix. Add flour gradually. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth. Let rise until doubled (≈1–1½ hours).

Filling

• ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened

• 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

Spread over rolled dough (12×18 in rectangle), roll tight, slice into 12.

Bath

In greased 9×13 pan, stir together:

• ¼–⅓ cup roux base

• 2 tbsp melted butter

• 2–3 tbsp water

• ½ tsp cinnamon

Spread in bottom, place rolls on top, let rise 30–40 minutes.

Bake

Bake at 350 °F (175 °C), 28–35 minutes. Tent with foil if tops brown too quickly. Rolls are ready at 190–195 °F internal temp.

Finish

Spread frosting over warm rolls. The bath bubbles into a caramel bottom, the dough stays soft for days, and the frosting melts like a dream.

Why You’ll Love This

• One roux, three roles. Less mess, more flavor.

• Bath = bonus. Sticky bun vibes without extra work.

• Silky frosting. No sugar grit, just cloud-like creaminess.

• Stay-soft rolls. Tangzhong science keeps them tender.

These are the kind of cinnamon rolls that look bakery-fancy but were actually easier than your average recipe. Because shortcuts, when done right, aren’t cheating — they’re smart cooking.

Short video here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BEVcwoh6m/?mibextid=wwXIfr