Cinnamon Rolls

One of my husband’s favorite desserts are my mom’s cinnamon rolls.  She made them for him while we were dating, and I have still yet to make them by myself.  My mom and I made these cinnamon rolls for Matt this weekend.  (The weekends are our “cheat” days).

We usually make the dough from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook, but this time we decided to make Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon roll dough.  Her dough recipe was very good… buttery, moist, and melt-in-your mouth good.

We made two different types of icing:  regular confectioner’s sugar icing, and cream cheese icing.  Both are very good, but I prefer regular icing.  The cream cheese icing is too sweet and over-powering for me on a cinnamon roll.  I’d rather eat cream cheese icing on cake or cupcakes.  It’s up to you though… make whichever icing you prefer!

Enjoy these hot out of the oven…they are best eaten the day of!

For the dough:  heat milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in medium saucepan until 115-120 degrees.

Add 4 cups flour.  Stir until just combined, and let sit in warm place for 1 hour.

Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup flour.  (We beat it in an electric mixer with a bread hook).

Roll dough into a large 30 x 10 inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick.

Combine cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Sprinkle over melted butter on dough.

Cut dough into 1 1/2 inch slices with either a large butcher knife, or use thread to pinch off dough (like we did).

Place dough slices into buttered pie pan or 9 x 13 inch pan.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Let cinnamon rolls rise for at least 20 minutes before baking.  Bake rolls for 13 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown, but not overly brown.

Whisk in vanilla, salt, and milk, until very smooth and desired consistency is obtained.

Cream Cheese Icing:  Beat together butter and cream cheese in an electric mixer with wire whisk until smooth.  Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Pour icing over warm cinnamon rolls.
In this round pan, the cream cheese icing is on the left, and the confectioner’s sugar icing is on the right side.

In the 9 x 13 inch pan, the confectioner’s sugar icing is on the left, and the cream cheese icing is on the right side.

Enjoy hot!

Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 packages (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 heaping tsp baking powder
1/2 scant tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp butter, melted

Confectioner’s Sugar Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk, plus more depending on thickness of icing
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

or

Cream Cheese Icing
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions
1. For the dough:  heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat to 115-120 degrees.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 1 minute.  Add 4 cups flour.  Stir until just combined, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour.
2.  Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup flour.  Stir thoroughly to combine.  Punch dough down; turn onto a floured baking surface.  Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. (I split the dough in half and made two rectangles).
3.  To make the filling:  pour half of the melted butter over the surface of the dough.  Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly (I used a pastry brush).  Sprinkle half of the  cinnamon/sugar mixture over the butter.  Pour the remaining half of the butter and cinnamon sugar over the top of the other half of the dough.
4.  Beginning at the end farthest from you, roll each rectangle tightly toward you.  Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight.  Transfer dough logs to a cutting board and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices.
5.  Grease pie pans or 9 x 13 inch pan with melted butter; swirl to coat.  Place sliced rolls in the pans; do not overcrowd.
6.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cover pans with kitchen towel and let rise for at least 20 minutes before baking.  Remove the towel and bake for 13 to 17 minutes, until golden brown.  Don’t let rolls become overly brown.
7.  To make confectioner’s sugar icing:  In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, salt, and vanilla.  Whisk until very smooth and icing reaches the desired consistency.  The icing should be thick but still pourable. To thin the icing, add more milk.  To thicken the icing, add more powdered sugar.
8.  To make cream cheese icing:  In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Beat until very smooth.
9.  While the rolls are still warm, generously drizzle icing over the top.

Yield:  20 – 25 rolls