Can you smell the warm cinnamon mixed with the aroma of yeast? Oh my goodness!!! I don't know why I don't make these more often cause they really aren't that hard or even time consuming. Buy my spouse asked for them today - so I made them this evening. The aroma in the house right now is absolutely amazing. If I could just bottle that scent - oh wait - someone has already done that in lotions and candles haven't they?!
Here is the recipe and directions - truly easy!
Rolls
3/4 cup warm water
2 pkgs yeast
1/2 cup butter, softenend (or shortening)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 1/2 - 5 cups flour
Filling
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 - 2 tbsp cinnamon
Glaze
2 tbsp. butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup (or so) milk, added 1 tbsp at a time
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it set for about 5 minutes. Combine softened butter or shortening, sugar and eggs until fluffy. Add yeast mixture. Mix well. Add 3 cups flour and stir well. Be sure all the flour is mixed in well. Add 1 cup flour and mix again. If dough is still too moist (sticking to the side of the bowl and your hands), add more flour about 1/4 cup at a time, until you can handle the dough without sticking to your hands too much. Just don't add too much flour or your rolls will be tough and heavy!
Leave in the bowl and set in a warm place (I turn my oven light on then set the bowl in the oven - the light generates just the right amount of heat to help the dough rise but doesn't cook) until doubled - about an hour. Punch dough down, flour a flat surface** and roll the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the softened butter for filling over the dough. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling (you can add more cinnamon if you like). Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the butter. Roll the dough from the long side of the rectangle. Using dental floss - cut rolls about 2" thick (wrap floss around the dough, crisscross at the top and pull, cutting the rolls without squeezing everything out!). Place in a pan sprayed with butter cooking spray. Place back in warm place to rise again for about an hour.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cook cinnamon rolls for 15 - 17 minutes, but don't let them get too brown.
To make the glaze:
Combine butter, sugar, vanilla and about 3 tbsp milk to get started. Continue adding milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time to get the right consistency. You can add more powdered sugar if it gets too thin. You need to be able to drizzle from the spoon but still have some thickness to the glaze.
Drizzle, then spread glaze over each cinnamon roll. Then try to hide them until breakfast!
** Hint for rolling out any type of dough - If you have a flat countertop and want an easy way to roll out dough with no cleanup this is it. Wipe the counter with a rag that is slightly wet - not dripping but wet. Tear at least 2 pieces of plastic wrap and place on the wet surface - better to do this one piece at a time. Slightly overlap the 2nd piece of plastic over the first. With the surface wet, the plastic wrap sticks to the countertop. Sprinkle flour and roll out like you normally would. When you're done - wrap it all up and through it away! Clean up is done.
