Monday, October 31, 2011

Cinnamon Rolls


I've posted Cinnamon Rolls before--Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls. And Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. I've done Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding and I've contemplated PB&J Cinnamon Rolls, Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls and even Avocado Cinnamon Rolls. Well, maybe not Avocado Cinnamon Rolls. The point is, I've thought of several different versions of Cinnamon Rolls, but I have yet to show you my basic, everyday, out of this world, Cinnamon Roll recipe.

Now, if you have navigated to this page in the hopes of finding a lo-cal version of Cinnamon Roll, you are wasting your time. I use butter. Copious amounts of butter. And I don't skimp on the sugar, either. Seriously, we are talking about Cinnamon Rolls. It is a once in a while treat, not the mainstay of anyone's diet. So let us begin.

Cinnamon Rolls

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature, slightly beaten
  • 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup pecans (optional)
 Heat the milk, 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Let cool until temperature is about 110 degrees F (like bathwater warm).


I almost always heat it too much at first. Be sure to let it cool down so you don't kill the yeast. The butter will finish melting, trust me.


In a large mixing bowl, combine milk mixture with yeast, egg, and 2 cups of the flour and the salt; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. (Alternately, just use the dough hook on your mixer and let the mixer knead the dough for about five minutes)


The egg, butter, and sugar will give you a nice rich dough...the perfect vehicle for even more butter.


Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a clean damp towel. Allow dough to rise until double, about 1 hour. In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.



Roll out the dough into a 12X9 inch rectangle (I like to do this on my Silpat). Spread the dough with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Sprinkle with pecans if desired. Roll up the dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces and place into a greased 9X13 inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled.




Add some pecans, if you like. Or some raisins or chopped apple. This batch is going to be plain.



Be sure to use a sharp knife when cutting...you don't want all of the filling to squish out.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and frost while warm.


You are not required to frost these, but I think it adds a little je ne sais quoi.



I personally like my Cinnamon Rolls frosted with a nice Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, but a simple drizzle of glaze will suffice. If you're interested, here's my recipe...I just used it on my Red Velvet Brownies. :)

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and the butter in a medium bowl. Add the orange peel, vanilla, and the orange juice, blending until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat to desired consistency.


Soft, warm, gooey, cinnamon-y and good.

 I find that these rolls will last for a day or two before getting stale. While it is rare that there will be any left, keep in mind that they will make a superb Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding. 
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14 comments:

  1. I found your link on Baking Bitches on facebook and WOW...you´re like my soul sister...at least in your baking...I´ve glanced quickly around your site as I don´t have a lot of time right now but I´ve also saved it and will be back to try some recipes and look around some more. Everything looks amazing and I´m right there with you- if you´re going to bake- use the real stuff and plenty of it! Do it right or don´t do it at all :-) Baking is not for the faint of heart! hahahaha!
    All the best from your newest fan in Norway :-) Amy :-)

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  2. I've been dreaming of cinnamon rolls for days now. I so love them, and absolutely rich in butter and sugar, I like it when the sugar caramelizes on the bottom. The only danger is that I can eat half a batch within an hour, can't resist

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  3. Thanks, Amy--I like your version, too!

    Dajana, I literally have to give the whole pan away...way too dangerous!

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  4. Oooh yum. They look amazingly soft and delicious. I like that your filling is more of a paste instead of the regular cinnamon-sugar. I've seen that on KAF and always wanted to try that. Will probably give your Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls a try. That just intrigues me. Plus, I have some pumpkin in the freezer from when I made BOM's pumpkin dinner rolls. Thanks for sharing the recipes!!

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  5. I am so coming to your house for breakfast. These look so delicious and gooey. My mom used to always make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. I think I will be putting this recipe in my hat to save for later.

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  6. So glad I found your blog... so many amazing recipes, including these cinnamon rolls! I am drooling over your sidebar too... I am your newest GFC follower :)

    http://steaknpotatoeskindagurl.blogspot.com

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  7. Cathy, these look fabulous!!! Printing off to try...yum, yum...my family will be thrilled to see these!

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  8. I haven't made cinnamon rolls in ages, love the idea of the orange flavor in the icing. I am checking out the pumpkin ones next. Congratulations for being featured on Tastespotting.

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  9. I love it that you mix the cinnamon in a butter mixture instead of just sprinkling on cinnamon sugar. I bet these melt in your mouth.:)

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  10. low cal cinnamon rolls--what a waste! i like the way you approach the finest of all bready creations, cathy. these look heavenly!

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  11. Your cinnamon rolls look perfect! It's not fair; I can never get mine to look like that! You must teach me your ways.

    I love cinnamon rolls. I can't bake them too often because I always end up eating way too many.

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  12. Hi, Cathy! Just discovered your wonderful blog. But I'm afraid that might pose a huge threat to our waistlines--because everything looks amazing, especially these cinnamon rolls. The orange really brightens it up! Cheers!

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  13. These look really great! I was just wondering though, should I use bread flour or all purpose? I use bread flour for pizzas and other breads, but it's suitable for cinnamon rolls right? Does it give a softer texture?

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    1. Oh, so sorry I missed your question. I've used both all purpose flour and bread flour. To be honest, I did not see a huge difference.

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