Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

There is nothing like walking into a home or bakery with the smell of cinnamon rolls baking. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I was fortunate to grow up with a mom and grandma that loved to cook and bake.  My mom’s side of the family is Czech and there’s a long history of cooking highly seasoned foods and baking delicious pastries.  My favorites I remember from my grandma were her fruit kolaches, meat filled klobasneks, apple strudel, ginger snaps, homemade chicken noodle soup, rabbit venison, and more!

Many times when grandma was making fruit kolaches, she would also make homemade cinnamon rolls and they were awesome! My mom has carried on the tradition of cooking and baking, and she now makes the best cinnamon rolls! My sister and I love to cook and bake, and make them as well.  This recipe has been tweaked and perfected over the years and is now the go-to recipe for cinnamon rolls, kolaches and klobasneks. They are well worth the time to make. These cinnamon rolls are so good, they disappear almost as quickly as they come out of the oven, so a lot of times we double this recipe. We hope you enjoy!

This soft, slightly sweet dough turns out fluffy and tender every time.

Cover and let rise until double. At this point, you can use this dough to make slightly sweet dinner rolls, wrap around your favorite smoked sausage, fill with fruit fillings for kolaches, or create these cinnamon rolls.

Punch down the dough and divide it into two portions.

I usually dust an extra large cutting board to roll out the dough.

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches, and about 1/4 inch thick.

Combine the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix into a paste.

Spread half of the cinnamon mixture onto the rolled out dough.

Roll up the dough into a log, pinch the seam together very well, as well as the ends.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the log into 12 thick slices. (You can slice these thinner if you’d like). Try not to press down, but saw back and forth to keep from mashing the log out of shape.

Place cinnamon rolls onto a greased baking sheet.

Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm spot in the kitchen to let rise, about 30 minutes or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

While rolls are baking, mix icing ingredients.

Allow rolls to cool about 5 minutes and then ice them generously.

Now brace yourself for heaven, and try…just try to eat just one!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

 

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Author: Jennifer Locklin

Serves: 24 large rolls

Ingredients

• For the Dough:
• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast (0.25 Ounce Packets)
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Reserved) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 
  
• For the Filling:
• 2 sticks salted butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 
  
• For the Icing:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick salted butter, softened
• 1 (2 lb) bag powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ cup milk, or more for thinning

Instructions

1. For the Dough:
2. Heat the milk, vegetable oil, 1 stick butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm.
3. Whisk in the yeast and let it sit for 1 minute. Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
4. In another bowl, whisk together 8 cups flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
5. Add flour mixture to the yeast mixture.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
7. Remove hook and cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm draft-free place for about 30 minutes to an hour or until double in size.
8. Remove the towel and punch dough down.
9. To make the filling:
10. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix into a paste.
11. To assemble the rolls:
12. Remove half the dough from the bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled thin, about ¼”.
13. Spread ½ of the cinnamon filling onto the dough, spread evenly.
14. Beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. Also, pinch the ends closed.
15. Cut the log into equal portioned slices. I usually cut my rolls thick, about ¾-1” thickness. Place slices in a large greased baking dish.
16. Cover pan with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat process with remaining dough.
17. Allow rolls to rise, covered for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
18. Remove the towel and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown or they will become dry. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
19. While rolls are baking, mix Icing:
20. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, in medium bowl. Using electric mixer and beat until smooth. Thin with milk to desired consistency. (I like mine a little thicker than honey)
21. Drizzle icing over warm rolls. Any leftover icing can be kept in a zip top bag in the freezer for future use.
22. Best served warm! Can be kept at room temperature (covered with plastic wrap) for several days.

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