Cinnamon Rolls

This evening as I was having dinner with some of my quilting friends, Mrs. Clark was gently reminded that it has been quite some time since she has written about her kitchen fun. So tonight is the night. I will take a break from the Christmas decorating and write about one of my favorite things to bake. . .

Cinnamon Rolls!

I don't make these often, but they make a real treat on special occasions and plenty of special occasions are coming up. These take a commitment of time, but can be done over the span of two days if you wish. 

1/4 c. warm water (105 - 115 degrees)

1 pkg. dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

3/4 c. warm milk

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. butter, very soft or melted

1 egg

3 to 3 1/2 c. flour

for filling:

1/4 c. soft butter

1/4 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

for frosting:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. soft butter
1/3 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. milk

Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in the warm water. Let stand about 5 minutes or until a bubbly foamy layer develops.

Combine the warm milk with sugar, salt, soft or melted butter, egg and 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture and beat until smooth. 

Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in remaining flour. Use enough flour (usually 1 1/2 to 2 cups more) to make a soft dough which leaves the sides of the bowl in a ball, adding more flour as necessary. 

Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead 5 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.

Return dough to well oiled bowl, cover and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down with fist. Roll into a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 18 inches long. Spread with 1/4 cup soft butter. Sprinkle with mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Roll into a 12 inch log. 

Cut into 12 pieces with dental floss by wrapping floss around the log, crossing the floss, and pulling it tight. Place the rolls in a greased 9" x 13" pan. Cover loosely with waxed paper or a towel and let rise till rolls double in size. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes in 350 degree oven. Rolls will be lightly browned and sound slightly hollow when done. 

Combine ingredients for frosting; stir until creamy, adding a few more drops of milk if necessary. Spread over rolls.

A few things I've learned along the way . . .

Dissolving the yeast in warm water is called "proofing" the yeast. It becomes active, starts to grow and produces carbon dioxide which makes the dough swell up and become light and airy. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast. If the water is too cool the yeast will not become fully active. Use a thermometer to check the water temp to be safe.

How much flour? If you don't use enough the dough will be very sticky and difficult to work. If you add too much the rolls will be dry and tough. I have found that "enough" is when the ball of dough first begins to roll around in the bowl without sticking to the sides. I know that isn't a very scientific explanation, but after you do this a couple of times it becomes more obvious how much is enough.

Kneading . . .

Put a handful of flour on your counter or table top and spread it around. Dump the dough out onto the flour and put a little flour on your hands. Now FOLD the dough i half and lightly PRESS it down. Then TURN it 180 degrees and repeat the process. Just remember 3 little words: fold, press, turn.

Fold, Press

Turn, then repeat. Fold, press, turn.

Oil your bowl. Put the dough in top side down. Roll it around so the top is coated with oil, then turn it over. Cover the bowl and set it aside to rise.

Oiled dough in the bowl.

Dough is doubled in size.

Punch it down.

From ball of dough to sheet of dough . . .

Put some more flour on your counter and get out your rolling pin. Dump the dough onto the floured counter. Flour up your rolling pin and roll away! Roll from the center out and pay attention to the corners. Work at making a rectangle. Since you are starting with a round ball of dough it naturally rolls into an oval. You are the boss of this dough and you want a rectangle. It can be done, but you need to take charge. Give a few extra rolls out to those corners and use the side of your hand to push the top and sides back in to help form the sharp edges. Just work at it and don't give up! Lately I have been skipping the rolling pin and have just been patting the dough with my hands. Either way works. Use the method you prefer.

You want 12" x 18" or so.

Spread on the butter and get it all the way to the edges!

Add the cinnamon and sugar. I use a shaker, but a spoon works, too.

Start at the narrow end and roll it up.

The rolled up log.

Cut the log . . . 

The log can be sliced with a knife, but it tends to smash the log. Try a piece of dental floss or thread. Center it under the log, pull up the ends and cross them tightly. It will cut right through the log and retain the shape. 

Cut it in half, then fourths. Then cut each of the fourths into 3.
You will have 12 relatively even rolls.

Space the rolls evenly in the pan.

Let the rolls raise until they grow together or are double in size.

Ta Da! The finished product . . . 

I can almost smell the cinnamon and the yummy bread baking smell as I look at this picture! I often made these for holiday breakfast or on some special day like Father's Day. It was usually a special day. I think any day can be made into a special day with these in the house. What do you think?

Oooooh, aaaaah! Yum!

Coolrise, two day method . . .

Once you get the rolls in the pan cover with waxed paper and put in the refrigerator. The rolls will slightly rise over night. Get them out in the morning (sometimes I do this VERY early, like 3 or 4 AM if I wake up) and allow rolls to finish raising. 

You might have to help them along if you want to eat them before very late morning. The refrigerator slows down the carbon dioxide production of the yeast. You need to warm up the rolls so the yeast wakes up and gets to work. Here's how I do it.

I turn on the oven and preheat it to 200 degrees. Then turn it OFF. Now put the pan of rolls in the warm oven. Leave them for about an hour or until rolls have raised. Remove from the oven. Preheat. Bake.

Here are some other ways the dough can be gently warmed: 

• Fill the sink with HOT water and put a rack over the top of the sink. Set the pan of rolls above the hot water and drape a towel over to hold in the heat. Replace the water as it cools.
• Set the pan of rolls in front of a heat register. 

Special thanks to my niece Hannah for helping me make the above batch of Cinnamon Rolls. This was the first, but not the last batch she made.

Scooter is quite content in my kitchen!

Next up . . .

It is now the season when my kitchen goes into full cookie baking mode interrupted only for making batch upon batch of Christmas Caramels. Stay tuned!