Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls... how I love thee.

I am going on record here and now... I will never, ever purchase one of those pop open cans of cinnamon rolls again in my life.  I had never attempted to make homemade cinnamon rolls before (we just aren't much for breakfast around here) and come to think of it I don't think I had ever eaten a homemade cinnamon roll before.  All I can say is that these are seriously life changing.  I have already made a few batches, given some as gifts and others are in the freezer patiently awaiting their turn to grace my Sunday breakfast table.  This recipe makes a very large batch.  I used disposable pie plates and 8x12 baking pans.  One batch will fill either 6 pie plates or 1 8x12 baking pan and 2 pie plates.

*Note: I did make a few changes to the original recipe after baking my first batch, just to make things easier. For the original recipe look here.

Printable Version

Cinnamon Rolls
adapted from Pioneer Woman

Dough:
1 quart whole milk
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
9 cups all purpose flour
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 scant tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. salt

Filling:
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup ground cinnamon for sprinkling
2 cups sugar

Maple Icing:
2 pounds powdered sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
dash of salt
1 tbsp. maple flavoring or extract

For the dough, heat the milk, canola oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; do not allow mixture to boil.  (I scalded the mixture) Set aside and cool to lukewarm. (This will take almost an hour) 

Sprinkle the yeast on top of the milk mixture and let sit for about 1 minute. 

Add 8 cups of flour.  Stir just until combined, cover with a clean dishtowel and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.

Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaing 1 cup of flour.  Stir thoroughly to combine.

Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refridgerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.

To assemble the rolls, remove half of the dough from the pan.  On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30x10 inches.

Lots of butter!

Cinnamon

and sugar

To make the filling, spread 1 cup of the room temperature butter over the surface of the dough.  Use a rubber spatula to spread the butter evenly.  Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter.

Now beginning at the side farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly toward you.  

When you reach the end, pinch the seam together.  Then cut the rolls in approximately 1 1/2 inch slices.  One log will make 20 to 25 rolls.

Take a little of the remaining butter off the spatula and rub in the bottom of your pan or spray with a little cooking spray.

Place the rolls in the pan and set aside to rest/rise for 20 minutes.  While you wait, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and assemble and cut your other rolls.

Bake rolls for 13 to 17 minutes until golden brown.

While rolls are baking make the Maple Icing!

In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar (I suggest you sift this to remove lumps, I know from experience), milk, butter, coffee, and salt.  Then add in the maple flavoring.  Whisk until very smooth. When rolls are still warm out of the oven pour the icing over every square inch of them.

Storage: I simply bake and ice the rolls, let them cool completely, wrap with foil, and freeze.  When you are ready for them just take them out to thaw then reheat in a 250 degree oven for 15-30 minutes.