Cinnamon Coconut Rolls

These Cinnamon Coconut Rolls are a wonderful breakfast treat! 

These cinnamon coconut rolls consist of a super soft and light dough wrapped around a moist coconut filling. They are wonderful warm, and can be reheated with a 20 second turn in the microwave.

I like to tear the cinnamon coconut rolls in half and spread the filling onto the rest of the bread. So good.

The Bread Baking Babes are baking coconut rolls this month, as introduced by Lien of Notitie van Lien. I added cinnamon to the coconut filling, and was totally happy with the rolls.

The original recipe for these cinnamon coconut rolls calls for forming them into long logs, and then cutting and tucking the ends in to make tiny loaves. Mine kept coming open on the ends, so I decided to go with round rolls instead. They taste the same, right?

For another coconut filled roll, be sure to try Chinese coconut buns. 

After the recipe, take a look at how the rest of the Babes made this recipe their own.

Cinnamon Coconut Rolls

(makes 12)

Ingredients

Dough

2 tablespoons sugar
160 ml lukewarm water
2 tsp dry instant yeast
300 g bread flour
50 ml vegetable oil
3/4 tsp salt

Filling

80 g + 2 TBsp dried, unsweetened, grated coconut

120 ml boiling water
150 g light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, to taste
4 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dough ingredients and stir them together. Knead the dough with the dough hook until smooth (you can also knead by hand). At first it’s very sticky, but after kneading it shouldn’t be very sticky anymore. 
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and leave to rise for about 1½ hours or doubled in volume. Mine took only 45 minutes. 
3. While the dough is rising, make the filling. Soak the 80 grams of coconut in the boiling water for 15 minutes.
4. Mix the cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon in a separate little bowl and then add it to the coconut.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the coconut-sugar mixture, and keep it on a low heat until it thickens, a few minutes. Keep stirring to avoid it burning.
6. Remove it from the heat and let cool. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut to the mixture.
7. When the dough is ready, reheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
8. Divide the dough in twelve equal parts. Roll each piece into a thin circle, and place 1/12th of the filling in the center. Gather the ends together and pinch them to form a ball. Place seam side down on two parchment lined baking sheets. Cover with oiled plastic wrap while you assemble the rest. 
9. Let them rise for 35-45 minutes, until puffy. They are ready when a light indentation you make with a finger, stays visible.
10. Bake the rolls for about 15-18 minutes until they are golden brown.(If you bake on two sheets, exchange them after 8 minutes, so they bake evenly).
11. Let the rolls cool on a wire rack. Eat them luke warm or at room temperature.

(Adapted from: “De kunst van het bakken” – J. Alfort & N. Duguid)