Sooji Halwa Rolls

Inspired by the classic South Asian combination of poori and halwa, these breakfast rolls are filled with a sweet semolina halwa with a delicious cardamom cream cheese frosting. It’s simple, and can be made a day in advance – perfect for your next brunch party!

Whenever there was a special day at home, my mother would make everyone’s favorite breakfast – pooris and sooji halwa, which is a simple semolina halwa that comes together in 15 minutes and tastes absolutely delicious.

I wanted to recreate that same memory in a different way, and here we have our sooji halwa rolls, made with my signature brioche cinnamon roll dough and filled with my mom’s sooji halwa.

Let’s get into the details of the recipe.

Sooji Halwa (Semolina Halwa)

Sooji halwa is a simple South Asian dessert that’s made with semolina and sugar. It’s soft and sweet, and takes less than 20 minutes to come together. This recipe is my mother’s, you can always use a different sooji halwa recipe if you have one of your own.

Here are the steps for making the Sooji halwa.

• In a pan, add the semolina and dry-roast it for 3-4 minutes on low heat, mixing often, until it’s lightly toasted.
• Add the ghee and cardamom powder and mix until it’s fully melted, then add water and immediately mix until it forms a smooth mixture. If you find that the halwa is getting too dry, as more water as needed. Cook the halwa for 2-3 minutes in the water, mixing often.
• Add the sugar and mix until fully combined, then cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat. The consistency of the halwa should be quite soft; if it seems thick, add more water until you reach the desired consistency. Let it cool completely before using.

The Dough

I’ve used my signature cinnamon roll dough recipe for these buns as it always results in the perfect, soft, and fluffy rolls. The recipe is simple and foolproof and can be made with or without a stand mixer. I highly recommend reading my cinnamon roll guide to know all the tips and tricks for making the dough.

Here are the steps for making the dough.

• In a bowl of a stand mixer or a regular bowl, add softened butter and sugar and whip it for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
• Add the egg and salt and mix again until the egg is fully combined with the butter and there are no more streaks of liquid in the batter.
• Add the warm milk, yeast, and flour. Switch to the paddle attachment at this step if using a stand mixer, or start kneading with your hands.
• Knead for 15-20 minutes with a stand mixer or 20-30 minutes until it’s soft and not tacky. Use the windowpane test to check if it has been kneaded enough. Pull a part of the dough and stretch it with your fingers until it’s thin and see-through. If it breaks, knead it for longer.
• Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and let it rest for 1-1.5 hours until it almost doubles in size.
• Once the dough has risen, punch it out, then roll out the dough into a rectangle on a baking paper generously dusted with flour. Keep the thickness to about 1 cm, not too thick, not too thin.
• Spread a layer of softened butter on the dough with a spatula, then spread the cooled sooji halwa on the rectangle.
• Roll the dough tightly, breadth-wise, until it forms a tight roll.
• Cut the roll into smaller rolls of 1-inch size with dental floss ( for cleaner cuts).
• Place the rolls in a 9×11″ baking pan, leaving space between each roll to expand during the second rise. Cover and let the rolls rise for about 1 hour, until they almost double in size. You can also cover and refrigerate the rolls without proofing at this step, and bake them the next day. Take them out of the fridge 2 hours before baking and bake as usual.
• Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until they’re lightly golden on top.
• Make the cream cheese frosting: Whip the softened butter, icing sugar, and cardamom powder until light and creamy. Add the softened cream cheese and whip until fully combined.
• Place a spoonful of the cream cheese frosting on each roll while they’re still warm, and spread it evenly. Enjoy warm.

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.

Sooji Halwa Rolls

Inspired by the classic South Asian combination of poori and halwa, these breakfast rolls are filled with a sweet semolina halwa with a delicious cardamom cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Chill Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Stand mixer with padel and whisk attachment optional, but recommended
• Rolling Pin
• Offset spatula
• Dental floss optional, but recommended
• 9×11" baking pan

Ingredients

  

Sooji Halwa

• 200 grams semolina
• 2 tbsps ghee or butter
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 250-500 ml water
• 120 grams granulated white sugar

Dough

• 92 grams granulated white sugar
• 78 grams unsalted butter softened
• 7 grams salt
• 1 large egg
• 454 grams all-purpose flour
• 6 grams instant yeast
• 255 ml full-fat milk lukewarm

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 55 grams unsalted butter softened
• 120 grams powdered sugar
• 120 grams cream cheese
• 1 tsp cardamom powder

Instructions

 

Sooji Halwa (Semolina Halwa)

• Start by lightly toasting the semolina in a pan over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn. It should turn slightly golden and give off a nutty aroma.
• Add ghee along with cardamom powder, stirring until the ghee melts and coats the semolina. Pour the water and whisk continuously so the mixture stays smooth without lumps. If it starts looking too dry, splash in a little more water. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Mix in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Continue cooking on low heat for 3–4 minutes until the halwa is soft and slightly loose in texture. Adjust with extra water if needed. Allow it to cool down completely before layering it into the rolls.

Dough

• In a mixing bowl (stand mixer or by hand), beat together softened butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add in the egg and salt, mixing until the egg fully blends into the butter mixture.
• Pour in warm milk, yeast, and flour. If using a stand mixer, switch to a dough hook now, or knead by hand.
• Work the dough for 15–20 minutes in a mixer (or 20–30 minutes by hand) until smooth and elastic. Check with the windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers-if it stretches thin without tearing, it’s ready. Otherwise, knead longer.
• Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1–1.5 hours until nearly doubled.
• Punch down the dough and roll it out into a rectangle on parchment paper dusted with flour. Aim for about 1 cm thickness.
• Spread a thin layer of butter over the surface, then evenly spread the cooled sooji halwa on top.
• Roll the dough up tightly from the shorter side, forming a log.
• Slice the log into 1-inch pieces with dental floss for neat, clean cuts.
• Arrange the rolls in a greased 9×11″ baking pan, leaving space in between for expansion. Cover and let them proof again for about 1 hour, or until almost doubled. Alternatively, refrigerate them at this stage and bake the next day. If chilled, bring to room temperature for 2 hours before baking.
• Bake for 20–25 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius, or until the tops are lightly golden.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat softened butter, icing sugar, and cardamom powder together until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and whip again until smooth and creamy.
• Spread a spoonful of frosting over each warm roll and enjoy them fresh from the oven.

Notes

Storage:

The rolls can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. 

Make Ahead:

To make ahead, place the rolls in the baking pan and place them in the fridge overnight. Take them out 2 hours before baking and bake as usual. 

Tips & Tricks for Perfect Sooji Halwa Rolls

• Roast the semolina well: Don’t rush this step. Light roasting brings out a nutty flavor and keeps the halwa from tasting raw.
• Keep the halwa soft: The filling should be slightly loose, not dry. If it thickens too much, add a splash of water. A softer halwa makes the rolls more moist and easier to spread.
• Use room-temperature ingredients: Butter, eggs, and cream cheese blend much better when they’re not cold. This helps create a smooth dough and frosting.
• Check your yeast: Make sure your yeast is active. If it doesn’t foam in warm milk within 5–10 minutes, start over with fresh yeast.
• Don’t skimp on kneading: A well-kneaded dough should pass the windowpane test. This ensures fluffy, pull-apart rolls.
• Use dental floss for cutting: It gives you clean slices without squishing the rolls.
• Second rise matters: Let the rolls puff up properly before baking. Under-proofed rolls won’t be as soft.
• Frost while warm: Spreading the cream cheese frosting on warm rolls allows it to melt slightly and soak in for extra flavor.

Course: Dessert

Keyword: sooji rolls

If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.

Until next time!