Add these cinnamon rolls to your weekend baking plans! They were so much fun to make and honestly not that difficult since I know many people have a fear of baking with yeast. I have been experimenting with yeast lately and I'm finding it to be easier than expected as long as you have patience.
You will have to let the dough rise for 1 hour, and the recipe makes 3 batches (8-10 rolls each) so it will take time to roll, spread, and cut all of the rolls, which is why I recommend to save this for a weekend. The good thing is that you can freeze un-baked rolls and save them for another day.
Thing you will need:
Mixer with bread hook
Thermometer
Scale (optional but useful)
Servings: 24-30 rolls, 3 batches
Ingredients (dough):
4 packets active dry yeast
8 cups flour
2 cups milk
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs
Ingredients (filling):
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
4-5 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 cup butter
Combine all ingredients in a food processor after dough has risen.
Ingredients (vanilla glaze, per batch):
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
4-5 tbs milk
Directions:
This recipe makes about 24-30 rolls, and 8-10 rolls fit into one 9" round pan. You can freeze un-baked rolls in a pan. When you're ready to use them, take them out and let them thaw for 3-4 hours before baking. No one will know the difference!
In a stand mixer with a bread hook attachment, mix flour and yeast for 30 seconds. In a sauce pan slowly warm milk, butter, sugar and salt to 120 degrees. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix on low for 15 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully combined. Dough will be wet and sticky with some lumps. Pour dough on a heavily floured surface and mold dough into a ball, adding more flour as necessary. You do not need to knead the dough. Lightly grease a very large bowl (see picture below of risen dough), place dough in bowl and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place or until dough has doubled in size.
Remove dough on a floured surface and divide into 3 balls of equal size - a scale is recommended. Roll out dough into a 21" long and 16" wide rectangle. Spread 1/3 of the cinnamon filling leaving some room on the edges. Be patient, I had to use my hands for this because the filling was hard to spread. Roll dough from the top to the bottom edge and cut dough into 1 3/4" slices (should make 8-9 rolls). I usually cut the ends off since there is very little filling. Place 8-10 rolls in one 9" lightly buttered pan, leaving about 1/4-1/2" space between each roll. Let rolls rise for 15 minutes. Bake rolls for 33-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Let rolls cool on a wire rack.
Directions (vanilla glaze):
Cream together butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt for 3 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Whip on high for 1 minute. If glaze is thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is easily spreadable. I think I ended up using 3-4 tablespoons. I like to glaze my rolls once they have cooled but are just lightly warm to the touch so the glaze slowly melts down the edges.
Recipe has been adapted from Chef Regina Charboneau's book Regina's Table at Twin Oaks.