Is there anything better than fresh cinnamon rolls right out of the oven? These cinnamon rolls are so delicious that I have a very hard time eating just one… In fact, I don’t know if that’s ever happened!
Making your own yeast breads should not be something to be scared of. As long as you are a patient person, you’ll be fine! One of the easiest mistakes to make is to not let the dough rise as much as it should. Plan ahead, and it will all work out. Also, be sure that you are using fresh yeast. If it has been sitting for 6 months, it may still work, but you’ll be waiting forever for the dough to rise.
Last spring, I made caramel rolls with a fairly detailed description and tips for making great cinnamon rolls. Check it out for some extra tips and tricks, as well as detailed pictures of each step! Definitely check it out if you’ve never heard of slicing cinnamon rolls with dental floss, which is by far the easiest way.
As this recipe calls for a lot of butter, you can alternatively use the Refrigerator Rolls recipe I have. It uses shortening instead, and still produces quite the yummy cinnamon roll!
Begin by making the dough. Proof the yeast in water with a little sugar. This will help you know if the yeast is still active and good for bread making.
Mix the other dough ingredients (minus the flour) in a mixing bowl and stir well. Add the proofed yeast and stir some more.
Add the flour a little at a time until you have a slightly stiff, sticky dough. Now, it’s time to knead!
Make sure the counter is well-floured, and that you have more nearby. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes or so.
Place it in a well-buttered dish and let it rise until doubled. Here’s a trick for the rise stage: heat 1 cup of water in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Do not remove the water, and place the dough in the microwave also. Close the door and walk away; don’t turn the microwave back on. This provides a warm, slightly moist place for the dough to rise. It may even cut down on the rise time.
Once the dough has doubled, turn out onto a floured surface and punch down. Let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Roll out the dough into a big rectangle, a little over 1/4 inch thick. Spread the dough with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Roll up the dough lengthwise for smaller rolls, or width-wise for larger rolls. I almost always roll mine up lengthwise to make more, smaller rolls.
Butter and sugar the baking dish. Slice rolls using dental floss (see this post for tips) and place into the prepared pan, leaving space for rolls to rise.
Let the rolls rise again until doubled, about another 45 minutes to an hour.
Bake in a preheated oven until light golden brown.
While they are cooling, make the icing. Mix everything but the water together. Then, add the water about a teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency. Just keep in mind… you can always add a little more water, but you can’t take it back out!
After the rolls have cooled, spread the icing on top. Or, be like me and impatiently go ahead and spread the icing on the rolls while they’re still a little warm. Then, it’s time to devour them! I won’t tell if you have more than one!
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- Dough
- 1 1/4 oz package 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water 105-115 degrees F
- 1/3 cup + 1/2 teaspoon sugar divided
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Filling
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup white sugar divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Icing
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix warm water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add yeast and stir; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix together milk, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, butter, salt, and egg. Stir well and add yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a slightly stiff, sticky dough. Turn onto a well-floured surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes. Place in a well-buttered glass bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
- While dough is rising, mix together all but 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Punch down dough, and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll out into a large rectangle. Spread dough with about 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar, and roll up lengthwise. Butter a 13?x9? pan with remaining melted butter, and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cut dough into slices and place in the greased and sugared pan. Let rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Make icing by combining ingredients, adding water 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Spread icing on cooled rolls.