In my family, we have a tradition of cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Thanksgiving and Christmas. As I was growing up, we would always get the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. But now that I've become a home cook, I wanted to make homemade rolls. I've managed it before but that was before I had started this blog. So they finally get their place in my blog as my 101st post and the first food post back after my six month hiatus.
What You Need:
Dough
What You Need:
Dough
- ¼ oz. package of yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ cup scalded milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup butter or shortening
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- ½ cup melted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup raisins, walnuts, or pecans (optional)
How to Do It:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In a large bowl, mix milk, sugar, butter, salt, and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place dough in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually one to one and a half hours. When doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9 inch rectangle. Spread melted butter all over the dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough. If you choose to use raisins, walnuts, or pecans (I personally don't care for them), spread them over the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Beginning at the 15 inch side, roll up the dough and pinch edges together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices and place on a baking sheet coated with butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture. Allow rolls to rise for about 45 minutes until dough is almost doubled. Bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned. While the rolls are baking, mix a glaze of milk and powdered sugar. After the rolls are baked, allow them to cool slightly then cover them with your glaze.
This recipe is an easy one to make ahead the night before you bake them, which is what I do. Typically, I make the dough and cover it with a damp cloth and allow it to rise overnight. The next morning, I typically roll out the dough and cut the rolls while the oven is preheating. After the oven is preheated, bake the rolls as instructed. When they are finished and cooled, slather them in your delicious powdered sugar icing and enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa or hot apple cider!
