Don’t be intimated by the instructions, it’s easier than you think!
My husband and I always say, “everything in moderation”. That being said, it’s hard to resist the temptation of fresh, just out of the oven cinnamon rolls. You will enjoy this recipe if you like a light fluffy bun with a strong cinnamon taste.
You can make the dough completely by hand, with the aid of a stand mixer dough attachment or a bread machine.
Basic Cinnamon Roll Dough Recipe
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp quick rising yeast
- 3 tbs sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup of warm water
- 1/2 cup of warm milk
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 egg
In a bowl, whisk the egg with the warm milk, water and vegetable oil. The trick is to add the egg in your bowl first, then slowly pour a small amount of the warm milk in as you whisk vigorously. Once your egg is well incorporated, you can slowly add the rest of the warm milk, and the warm water. This technique is called tempering. Whisk in the vegetable oil and sit the liquid mixture aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Place bowl into your stand mixer and attach the dough hook. Turn on your mixer and slowly pour the liquid into the dry ingredients. Allow the the dough hook to form a spongy dough.
Remove and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead (adding flour if necessary) until the dough is soft, smooth and no longer sticky, about 5-8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let rest in a warm, draft free place until the dough doubles in sizes, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Cinnamon Filling
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tbs of cinnamon
- 1 cup of raisins (optional)
In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside for later.
Here’s where the fun begins!
Once the dough has risen and doubled in bulk, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. If your dough is sticky, add a tiny bit of flour and knead until smooth. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 16 x 12 inches.
Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter evenly on the dough leaving a 1/2 inch border all around.
Sprinkle the cinnamon filling on your dough, again leaving a 1/2″ border all around.
Starting from the bottom, turn the end towards the dough and roll tightly towards the middle of the rectangle forming a log shape. You may pinch the sides together to keep the filling from falling out. When you reach the end, pinch the dough together to create a seal. Place log onto a cutting board.
Use a sharp knife to cut 12 equal pieces.
Arrange rolls in a parchment lined 15″ x 10″ baking pan. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow rolls to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk.
Bake in the centre of 375 F oven for about 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and place pan on a wired rack and allow the rolls to cool slightly before serving.
The cinnamon rolls are best served fresh and warm. If you have leftovers they can be stored in an airtight container and warmed up in the microwave. These are good by themselves or topped with a fluffy cream cheese icing or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream (which goes with anything in my book).
Variations
- Replace 1 1/2 cups of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a “healthier” treat
- Try adding toasted pecans or almonds to your rolls
- Chocolate makes everything better-add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the filling for an extra special cinnamon roll!
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