These cinnamon rolls have an unexpected twist in their swirls

By Claire Saffitz, The New York Times

After making and tasting dozens over the course of my baking career, I had pretty much accepted that cinnamon rolls, like scones and madeleines, are good only when eaten fresh from the oven. A roll that is tender, moist and delicious when warm turns brittle, dry and lifeless just hours later at room temperature.

But with all of the techniques to produce soft, supple dough textures, I was convinced that a cinnamon roll with a longer shelf life was possible.

I set out to develop one that not only maintained much of its moisture and softness after cooling, but one that also has a distinctive, classic-looking swirl and traditional cream cheese icing that wasn’t too sweet.

To achieve the pillowy texture I was going for, I turned to an old-fashioned technique that helps enriched doughs (like the kind used to make cinnamon rolls) develop lots of gluten: scalding milk. “Scalding” refers to heating mi...