This recipe was given to me by my mother. She would
bake and bake and bake cinnamon rolls, rolls, and tea rings for Christmas every year when we were growing up. I am carrying on the tradition.
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First you are going to scald the milk. Then add the butter.
Put this in a mixing bowl and let cool til a good temperature to add the yeast. Then.....add the yeast!
Let this sit until the yeast has 'bloomed'.
Add eggs, sugar and salt. Whisk well.
Add the first eight cups of flour. Stir pretty well.
Tip: I bought a two cup measuring cup just for baking bread. With all the distractions around my house, it is WAY too easy to lose track of how many cups I have put in.
Next add the rest of the flour - but maybe not ALL of the rest of the flour. This is where I used to mess up BIG time. You only add enough flour to make it a dough. IT WILL STILL BE STICKY.
Tip: I use bread flour. Now, you can use all purpose if that is what you have, but I find that bread flour makes a better roll. Also, I use unbleached flour.
Then just cover and let rise until double in a warm place. Here is where I would mess up again - I would knead the dough. Nope. NO KNEADING! This is why my rolls used to be stiff and dry.
If you are crazy like me, you bake some cookies while waiting for the dough to rise!
Now the fun part!
Also, this is where my helpers come in!
When the dough is just about ready, you need to start gathering your cinnamon roll making ingredients.
You will need:
1. Cinnamon
2. Brown sugar (light or dark whichever you prefer)
3. Melted butter (more than you think you will EVER need)
4. A little flour for rolling out dough
5. Rolling pin
6. Place for rolling
7. Greased pans (with more butter, of course)
Once the dough has doubled, you 'punch' it down.
Pull off enough dough to roll out on your place for rolling. Use some of that flour and roll out the dough.
Put melted butter on it. Enough to cover but don't do the edges.
Next put brown sugar on.
Then the cinnamon.
Tip: Use a good cinnamon. There is a difference. I usually buy mine at the
Ashery Country Store. You can also look at different upscale stores. When I ran out the last time, I couldn't make it to the bulk store so I got some at the
North Market. I also by my yeast in bulk at the
Ashery Country Store.
Roll them up. Like I tell my kids, you kind of need to keep tucking it under while you are rolling them up so they won't fall apart once you cut them. Pinch the seam closed.
Slice your cinnamon goodness log. I usually do about 1 1/2 - 2 inches - I think.
Place in the buttered or caramel or pecan pan.
And let rise in a warm place until they look like this.
Side note: I really like metal pans better than glass - but not dark metal ones. I think they cook the cinnamon rolls better. I just didn't have enough for all of the baking I was doing this time. This is just my personal opinion and may be just my imagination! ;-)
Now bake at 375 F for about 20 - 25 minutes.
Turn out of the pan IMMEDIATELY! I always scrape out the yumminess that is left on the bottom of the pan and spread it on the rolls.
Let cool some, if you can! And enjoy!
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Now I also make pecan rolls and cinnamon rolls with a caramelly goodness on top.
Just melt/stir all together in a skillet on the stove:
Pour enough into the bottom of the pan to cover. Add pecans, or not.
Be sure to butter the sides of the pan. Now just make the cinnamon rolls like above. The only difference would be to let them cool just a LITTLE BIT before turning them out of the pan. Otherwise all your caramelly goodness ends up all over your table instead of on your rolls!
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The Recipe:
1 qt. milk, scalded
6 Tblsp butter
3 Tblsp yeast
4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
8 cups flour
4 cups flour
Let rise until doubled. Shape. Let rise. Bake at 375 F.
Optional caramelly goodness:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
8 Tblsp Karo
(The above is not an exact science. You can add or subtract more of any of the ingredients to make it the way you would like it.)
Pecans
