Cinnamon Rolls

By far the best I have ever tried!

 

 2 c. whole milk (if you're in a pinch, you can use 2%, but whole is best. Don't use 1% or skim)
½ c. + 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/3 c. (5 1/3 Tbsp.) butter
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp.), preferably bread machine yeast
2/3 c. warm (105-115-degree) water
8-9 c. all-purpose flour
3 beaten eggs

Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. It's salty. It's sweet. Yum.

Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm. I usually rub some ice cubes along the sides of the pan or pop the entire pan in a sink full of ice cubes to cool the mixture down because this step can take forever. This step is really important because if the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast and 1 Tbsp. sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes. If the yeast hasn't bubbled, you'll need to repeat this step.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour and milk mixture. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.  Add beaten eggs.

Stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft--it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Don't worry, it will firm up during the rising process. Part of what makes these rolls so good is that they're so soft and light; if you add too much flour, they will be heavy and dense. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out onto surface. Divide in half.

Spray 2 jelly roll pans (or cookie sheets) with cooking spray.  Roll dough into a rectangle shape and spread filling (see below) all over the dough.  Roll lengthwise and cut with unwaxed dental floss (call me if you don't know what that means)

Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. When dough has about 15-20 minutes to go (depending on your oven), preheat oven to 375.   Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden-brown.

When done, remove from oven and spread glaze over each roll.

Also makes excellent dinner rolls!

Filling: 

1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp, divided
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 T cinnamon

Glaze:
1 C powdered sugar
2 T butter, melted
2 T milk or cream
1 t vanilla extract

~ourbestbites.com

Perfect Dinner/Cinnamon Rolls

2 Tbls yeast

1/2 C warm water
2 C scalded milk

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C shortening

2 tsp salt

7 C flour

2 eggs

In a small bowl, add yeast and the warm water, set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, salt and scalded milk. Add 3 cups of flour. Stir with a good wooden spoon (recipe says that, but I have used my mixer and it’s OK). In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs, then add them to the large bowl. Mix well again. Add yeast. Add 4 more cups of flour and knead about 5 minutes with your hands. If dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Place dough back into bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let it rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Separate the raised dough into two equal parts. Roll out the dough like a round pizza (about 16”). Take a pizza cutter or knife and cut the dough into triangular pizza wedges until you have 16 triangle shapes. Start at the large end and roll the dough into crescent roll shapes. Place the roll crescents on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the second ball of dough. Cover again with the dish towel and let raise another 1 hour 15 minutes. Bake raised rolls at 350 for 16-18 minutes. This dough can be used for pizza, calzones or regular rolls.