Chai Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

DOUGH

• 1 cup chai latte (chai tea brewed with dairy-free milk), warm to the touch
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar + 3 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 2 cups all purpose flour, gluten-free if needed + 1 cup
• 1 teaspoon salt

FILLING

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

ICING

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons chai latte (chai tea brewed with dairy-free milk)

Mehod:

1. Heat chai latte until warm to the touch, not too hot.
2. Add yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar to warmed chai latte. Let sit for 15 minutes until yeast mixture becomes foamy.
3. Once foamy, whisk in 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Slowly add up to an additional cup of flour to form a dough slightly sticky to touch, but not sticking to your hands. (You likely will not need to add all of the flour)
7. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes by hand or using a mixer.
8. Form dough into a ball and cover with a hand towel. Let rest for 30 minutes, the dough ball should grow in size.
9. While the dough rises, grease a 9″ round or square pan and prepare the filling.

FILLING

1. Add cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt to a separate bowl and mix to combine.
2. Heat coconut oil to soften until spreadable (do not melt).
3. When the dough has finished resting, flour a clean surface and roll the dough out into an 11″ by 14″ rectangle.
4. Spread softened coconut oil over the dough rectangle, leaving about 1/2″ on one of the longer ends clean.
5. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the coconut oil.
6. Roll the dough from the longer side with oil/filling to the longer clean side. Use a little water to help the clean dough stick and seal to the roll.
7. Cut the dough roll into 9 even pieces and place in the oiled 9″ pan, swirls facing up.
8. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
9. Gently cover the rolls with a hand towel and let rise another 15 minutes.
10. Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden.

ICING (OPTIONAL)

1. Mix icing sugar with chai latte. Start with 1 tablespoon of liquid and add more until the desired consistency is reached.
2. Drizzle baked cinnamon rolls with icing.