Cinnamon Rolls - a Christmas Tradition

The recipe originally comes from The Pioneer Woman ... and I've been making them every year for the past 5 years ... of course, I had to count on my fingers and remember key events to get to that number of years ... really, FOUR YEARS??

They aren't hard to make either ... I mean heck, if the Pioneer Woman is making them ... you know that they are GOOD and EASIER than most recipes ... gotta love that about anything!

I started making these on Christmas Eve one year, and it just became something that everyone expected ... and since I love that people LOVE when I make something for them, I'm always happy to bring out the flour and hop to the baking ...


I still have a HECK of a time getting rolled tight, but probably because I really really load them up with the filling. Which is what makes them so good, I think.

I also use brown sugar instead of white ... so there's my one noticeable difference in the recipe...give your self 2 days to make these as you can toss the dough in the fridge over night and roll and bake the morning of.

Cinnamon Buns ... my version:

2 cups of milk (I use 2%)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 pkg yeast
4 cups plus 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder (make this heaping)
1/2 tsp baking soda (make this 'scant')
1/2 tbs salt (heaping)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
cinnamon

Ready?  Get yourself a big pot and add the milk, oil, sugar. Give it a quick whisk and scald the milk ... this is just BEFORE it starts boiling. Make sure the pot is big because it will bubble like mad AND you are going to mix the flour in too.



Once it is scalding go ahead and remove from the heat and let it sit for an hour or so til it cools down some (lukewarm to warm but NOT hot).

Sprinkle the yeast over top of and let that sit for a minute while it does it's foamy action.



Add in your 4 cups of flour. It's going to be a wet soggy mess, but that's ok. Put a lid on it and either let it rest for an hour on your counter top.



Add the 1/2 cup of flour, baking powder and baking soda AND the salt. Stir together. At this time, I would recommend you put in the fridge. It may grow overnight, just punch it down and tell it who's the boss. Personally, I would highly recommend you do the overnight thing. The dough will become much more manageable once it's cool like that. OR you can proceed to finishing them NOW.





::next morning::


Hello and good morning my baby (ummm, surely you talk to your food when excited?). Sprinkle your counter top surface with some flour. Dump the dough out in the middle of all the flour and roll out  into a rectangle (now, mind you, it does not need to be perfect).




Take your soft butter and rub it over the surface of the dough. Um, yes, I do use my hands because it's quicker and easier... then sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter and then the cinnamon. I don't measure the cinnamon, I just eyeball it, but I'm pretty generous with it.


Roll the rectangle up. I have no easy recommendations on this, except if you have a bench scrapper, use that to assist you where the dough might stick a little. I am still struggling with a TIGHT roll, but it's sufficient.

Once rolled, pinch the seam as much as you can. Cut into 1 inch sections (using the bench scraper, knife, non-waxed floss, etc.).

Place these is a dish that you've sprayed with non stick spray.


Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees til light brown, 15 to 18 minutes.


Pull out, and top with glaze. I've made it with powdered sugar and milk with a pinch of vanilla. But I prefer to use canned cream cheese frosting that I've diluted (to make pourable) with milk. I just dump the frosting in a bowl, add a little milk, whisk, add more milk (a little), whisk until it's runny enough.


Enjoy!


*This makes a TON of cinnamon rolls and you can easily cut the recipe in half! If you don't want a bunch of sweets taunting you this year, by all means, halve the recipe!

*I am going to become very emotional this year when I make these as the last time I made them, my neighbor had requested them after she had gone through some chemotherapy ... it took her all day to eat one but she ate it and called me to bring another for the following day.

Looking forward to sharing with some of these great parties ... make sure you check them out! Wonderful WednesdayHearth & SoulFluster Buster Creative Muster Show Me What Ya GotWhat's Cooking WednesdayIts a Party!Works For Me WednesdaySugar and SpiceWake Up WednesdayWhatever Goes WednesdayWednesday WhatsitsReal FunWork It WednesdayLovely Ladies, Weekly CreativeDomestic Superhero, All Things ThursdayThe Weekly CreativeTogether on Tuesday, Tasty ThursdayFull Plate ThursdayCreate It ThursdayFabulously Frugal ThursdayCrafty Thursday Obsessions Showcase Your TalentThink Tank ThursdaySimple Lives ThursdayFoodie FridayGet Real Frugal FridayFrugal FridaysFood on FridayFreakin Did It FridayFeature FridayThe Pin JunkieFreedom FridayFriday FavoriteFoodie Friday, A peek into my paradiseWeekend SocialFoodie Friends FridayFun Friday blog hopCelebrate It!,  Friday FavoritesTGIF BLOG HOPWeekend RetreatWhat’s ShakinWeekend WondersWeekend PotluckGet Him Feed Anything GoesDwell on FridaysFriday Foodfight, Lil Luna Link PartyFoodie FridayTGI Friday Friday with Friends, Simple Living Foodie FridayInspirationsWeekend WanderWeekly RoundupFeature Yourself Saturday, Saturday Night FeverThe Party BunchShow Off Saturday, I Gotta CreateShow Off WeekendShow Stopper SaturdaySweet and SavoryThe Weekend CreativeWeekend PotluckWill Cook For SmilesStrut Your Stuff SaturdaySaturday Show & TellSuper Saturday Show & TellSay G'day SaturdayNot Bad SundayPotluck PartySunday Showcase Sundae ScoopSuper SundayMop It Up MondayMerry MondayCreative MondayThe ScoopMelt In Your Mouth MondayPin It Party Made By You MondayHunk of Meat Monday What’d You Do This WeekendMarvelous MessMaking It CuterTime To SparkleMealtime MondayTime To Sparkle, Makin You Crave MondayClever ChickCreative Corner Blog HopMake Your Own MondayMix it Up Monday,  Save Money MondayLou Lou GirlsInspire Me MondayIn and Out of the Kitchen, MemoriesTasty TuesdaysTuesdays At Our HomeHow To TuesdayHandmade TuesdayMaking a HomeShow Me The GoodsTotally Tasty TuesdayAll My Bloggie FriendsShare Your Stuff TuesdayTuesday Talent ShowFat TuesdayPenny Pinching PartyThe Gathering SpotAnti-Procrastination Tuesdays

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe for cinnamon rolls. My family would love these - I'll have to give them a try. Have a Merry Christmas :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. These sound so good! I've been looking for a recipe for Christmas morning!

    You are such a great neighbor.
    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, thank you Vickie ... it was the least I could do for Joan and was glad to give her something that she wanted to eat ... I do miss her though :(

      Delete
  3. Your Cinnamon Rolls look amazing! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a very special Christmas week!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Miz Helen ... hoping you had a great Christmas also!

      Delete
  4. My kids love cinnamon rolls! Thank you for sharing these on Show Me Saturday!

    ReplyDelete

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