Cinnamon Rolls

After having some yummy Cinnamon Rolls at Strouds during my Kansas City trip, I was yearning to have some here at home! Hubby’s cousin said that their complimentary cinnamon rolls (on top of their award winning pan fried chicken) were to-die-for. Indeed it was!!

So of I go Googling for recipes for an easy Cinnamon Roll recipe. Bread and such is something I stay away from baking coz my last few encounter with yeast wasn’t that successful! Yeast is like my kryptonite, I fear it! I fear the result it will give my baked goods! And usually, my baked goods turned out not as soft as it’s supposed to be. Hence, I tend to stay away from yeast whenever I can!! I stick to recipes using baking powder and baking soda instead!

I found the recipe on Food Network; one of my favorite online source for recipes. The Cinnamon Roll recipe is by Paula Deen and have a 5/5 star review from an average of 200 reviewers.

Even though my cinnamon rolls weren’t super soft, it was still delicious. The rolls did not poof up like it’s supposed to per the instructions. Don’t get me wrong, it still poofed, just not quite double its size during the first and second round of letting the dough rest and rise. I blame it on me and my surroundings perhaps. I’m pretty sure I use the right yeast (and still active one) this time. So, the first fault maybe due to the warm water added to the yeast. It maybe the warm water was not warm enough or too warm. Secondly, it was a rather cold day. Hence, cold kitchen = cold baking condition? Therefore the colder temperature maybe have resulted in the slower proofing/rising of the dough. If I have waited more than the suggested time, perhaps the dough would have risen more! =)

I’m sharing the recipe here since the recipe did after all receive pretty good reviews. And there’s a super high chance of user error that my cinnamon rolls weren’t super soft and fluffy. Well, at the very least, it wasn’t hard as rock!! 

CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE

Ingredients:

Part A (Dough):

• 1/4 Oz Package Yeast
• 1/2 Cup Warm Water
• 1/2 Cup Scalded Milk
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Butter, Melted
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Large Egg
• 3-1/2 to 4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

Part B (Filling):

• 1/2 Cup Butter, plus more for pan
• 3/4 Cup Sugar, plus more for pan
• 2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 3/4 Cup Raisins, Walnuts, or Pecans, (*Optional)

Part C (Glaze):

• 4 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 - 6 Tbsp Hot Water

Method:

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. Spread melted butter all over dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired. Beginning at the 15-inch side, role up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat the bottom of baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.

Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

June’s Comments : As much as I love cinnamon rolls, I’m not a big fan of the sugary white sticky glaze. Therefore, I skipped the whole glazing thing. The rolls was ok soft….but yummy. It was harder the next day, but it wasn’t something a few minutes in the microwave can’t do to soften it!!!