Cinnamon Rolls
A wonderful homemade cinnamon roll that is a favorite! It begins with a great yeast bread dough that can be transformed into cinnamon rolls!
Equipment
- oven
- mixer with bread hook and flat paddle
- measuring cups- liquid and dry
- measuring spoons
- Rolling Pin
- baking pan
- candy thermometer
- thread
- parchment paper
- mini loaf pans, if making cinnamon roll bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2-3 C all purpose flour
- 1 pkg active dry yeast
- 1/4 C sugar
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/2 stick butter, softened-not melted
- 3/4 C hot tap water (105-110°)
- 1 egg room temperature
Cinnamon Roll Topping
- 2/3 C brown sugar
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1/2 C OPTIONAL: pecans, (toasted, if desired)
- 3 T softened butter
Icing
- 1 C powdered sugar
- 1/4 t vanilla
- 1 1/2 T milk
Instructions
- Combine 1 C flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soft butter with mixer using regular mixing paddle.
- Using the thermometer, test temperature of water with thermometer and measure out water when it is the right temperature- between 105-110°.NOTE: Less than 105° will not activate the yeast and over 110° may kill the yeast. If your rolls don't rise...that may be the cause!
- Add water and beat at medium speed with the paddle or regular beaters for 2 minutes.
- Add egg, 1/2 C more flour and beat for one minute on high.
- Change to dough hooks. Stir in remaining flour and knead with dough hooks until smooth--about 5 minutes or less.
- Cover the dough with a clean dish towel. Let rest in a warm area for 15-20 minutes.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface into a rectangle with a rolling pin.
- Spread the dough with softened 3 T butter.
- Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter.
- If using pecans--chop them, feel free to toast or not, and sprinkle across the dough evenly.
- Roll up the dough evenly lengthwise. Seal edge with your fingers.
- Butter baking dish.
- Slice dough into rolls 1" rolls (by using a piece of thread) and going under the roll and crossing above the roll.NOTE: enough thread to go under and cross over the roll- about 12"
- Place rolls into pan, cut side down.
- At this point, you can cover with saran wrap and place them in refrigerator 2-48 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, set out for about 15 minutes to an hour to let the rolls rise again. TIP: Add to the stove top while the oven is preheating to have them rise well.
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Bake uncovered in center of the oven for about 20 minutes. They should not be doughy or too brown.
- While the rolls are baking, mix together the icing ingredients until smooth and desired consistency.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and cool slightly. Then drizzle with icing.
Cinnamon Roll Loaf Bread
- Roll out dough into four different portions--add butter and filling, roll and add to greased mini loaf pans.
- Make sure that you let the dough rise again in the pans before baking, as you did the cinnamon rolls.Bake until dough is golden and dough is baked, about 25 minutes.
- Glaze, if desired, and slice to serve.
Notes
This cinnamon roll recipe is so easy that my students always had the best results. The hard part...? waiting for them to rise!
Because this recipe was a 2 day -90 minute each lab...we simply made the rolls and covered and refrigerated the first day. On day 2, we set them out to rise for 20 minutes--you can let them set out for up to an hour if you have time--and then bake, ice and serve!
The timing listed for this recipe is difficult since it's simply up to you on how long to wait to bake and serve. That's part of the beauty. Make them a day or two before you bake them for a gathering which is soooo helpful....OR...If you are making the morning of, I have baked them without refrigerating and they were perfect that way, too. You choose!
Hope you love them as much as we do!
TIP: Cinnamon Roll Bread
Mini loaf pans simply give a great size for slicing, and if added to the freezer to have later, are simply a perfect amount to have for two to eat before it dries out a bit.