Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

 

Our office has been super crazy these days.  Crazy busy and super understaffed.  Who says the economy isn't booming??  At least in my neck of the woods.

 

Since we have all been working so hard and yet staying "nice" to each other LOL, I decided to treat everyone with a couple of pans of homemade cinnamon rolls.  This picture is the little pan I made for us at home.  Of course, I forgot to take a picture of the finished big pans!

 

They're yummy and not nearly as much work as these directions appear.  I usually make the dough in the bread machine so the only "work" is rolling them out, cutting them, and putting them in the pan.

 

Here's how I make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls AT HOME MY WAY:

 

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

 

 

(Bread Machine instructions for making the dough)

1 1/3 cup very warm water (hot but no hurt)
1 packet of yeast (or 2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup oil

1 egg (slightly beaten before adding to the other ingredients)

Instructions: Measure the water in a 2- cup measuring cup, add the sugar and yeast.  Stir very gently and set a timer for 10 minutes. Let this get all foamy for 10 minutes.  Then, add 1/4 cup of oil (vegetable, canola or olive) and the slightly beaten egg to this mixture. Dump into your bread machine pan (liquids go first).


Next add 4 cups all purpose flour to your bread machine pan
and
1 teaspoon salt.

Set your bread machine to the dough setting. (Mine takes 2 hours.)
When the dough setting is complete, proceed as below by forming rolls, etc.


REGULAR WAY OF MAKING THESE ROLLS, WITHOUT A BREAD MACHINE

Dough: 

 

1 1/3 cup very warm water (hot but no hurt)
2 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)
1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup oil

1 slightly beaten egg (slightly beaten before adding to the other ingredients)

 

Measure the water in a 2- cup measuring cup, add the sugar and yeast. Stir very gently and set a timer for 10 minutes. Let this get all foamy for 10 minutes. Then, add 1/4 cup of oil (vegetable, canola or olive) and the slightly beaten egg to this mixture.

Mix well but gently.

In a large bowl, measure your flour. Add 1 teaspoon salt and mix very well.

Dump the liquids (proofed yeast/water/sugar, oil & egg) on top of the flour/salt in the bowl. Stir well (I use a wooden spoon). When its too stiff to stir, start kneading in the bowl, twisting and pushing until the dough forms a ball.  You may have to keep dusting your hands with flour to the dough doesn't stick to you too much.

You need to knead it for 7 minutes (set a timer).  The dough will become noticably more "smooth."

After 7 minutes, you can put the dough in a sprayed bowl, spray the dough with cooking spray and let rise for about an hour.  (Sometimes I skip this rise and you can't tell a bit of difference!) 

 

Instructions for forming into cinnamon rolls:

 

Additional ingredients:

 

1/2 stick butter/margarine (melted)

brown sugar

cinnamon

 

Roll the dough into a large rectangle - a little more than 1/4 inch thick (thicker than a pie crust would be). 

 

Spread with melted butter/margarine (nothing exact here but brush on - but not all the way to the edge of the dough.  Leave about 1/2 inch without these toppings.

 

Sprinkle and then spread a light layer of brown sugar - not all the way to the edge.

 

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

 

Roll up making a long roll.

 

I cut my rolls thick - like just under two inches thick.  Place in sprayed pan(s) - not touching.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Let rise approximately 30-45 minutes while the oven is preheating.

 

Bake in preheated 350 oven 25-30 minutes.

 

Let cool 10-15 minutes before drizzling with icing.

 

Glaza/Icing/Frosting Recipe for cinnamon rolls

 

2 Tablespoons room temp margarine/butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 Tablespoons milk (or a little more if too thick).

 

Stir until smooth.  You can add a little more powdered sugar or milk to get the right drizzling consistency.

 

Drizzle on rolls.

 

DIVE IN!