Thinkin’ of You Grand Daughter #2

Thinkin’ of You Grand daughter #2….

My dear readers…the other night by beautiful grand daughter was making home made cinnamon rolls and she made a pan of the most beautiful, perfectly shaped, cinnamon rolls I have ever seen….and it got me to thinking.  Thinking of the many cinnamon roll recipes I have stashed away in my files as well as on this blog.

I l-o-v-e  cinnamon rolls and the more I thought of my grand daughter making rolls….the more I wanted to taste that sweet cinnamon-y taste of home made cinnamon rolls.

Sooo, ignoring any New Years Resolutions…well, it is kind of hard to ignore resolutions when you haven’t made any…but if I were to have made a resolution, it would most likely have been to eat a bit more healthy.  

See?  There is the cheat!  A bit more healthy?  Yeah!  So this is the other bit which is eating what I want, when I want, with no guilt feelings. 

OK…Seriously, I I found a recipe in my files, that makes about 10-12 cinnamon rolls…perfect right?  Because if I made 24…well, we all know how that would end.  This way, the Captain and I can handle 10-12 cinnamon rolls and if you space them over a period of time …well, that makes it ok.

I think!

Oh well, I’m doing it anyway.  

These rolls are so easy….and I have the pics to prove it.

First, mix up flour, yeast, sugar, salt, in a bowl.

Heat butter, milk in a sauce pan and add to the flour mixture.

Stir into the flour mixture and add an egg and mix until you have a soft dough.

Place the dough in the buttered bowl (same mixing bowl) and let sit for about 10 minutes while you mix up the cinnamon and sugar and get the room temperature butter ready. 

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured counter top or board.

Pat out the beginning of a rectangle with your hands and then begin rolling with a rolling pin.

Measure with a kitchen ruler to about 8 X 14 rectangle.

Spread the dough with softened butter….going to the edges. 

Sprinkle with lots of cinnamon sugar and if you want nuts or raisins….this is the time to add them.

Roll the rectangle dough away from you in as tight a roll as possible.

Cut the roll in half…this makes it easier to have even cuts on both sides.

Slice with kitchen string or a serrated knife for perfect cuts. 

Let rise…as you can see from the above pic…I made these without too much thought.  When you make your cinnamon rolls…if you follow this recipe….you can make your cinnamon rolls perfectly shaped….but as I said, I am hungry and my cup of hot tea is calling for a cinnamon roll….and my tummy doesn’t care what they look like.  😉 

Here they are…nice and puffy in the warm oven, all ready to go into my bottom oven that I have preheated to 375 degrees. 

If I were making these for guests at breakfast, I would have taken my time to assure each cinnamon roll was perfectly shaped and exactly the same size as my grand daughter did with hers…but I was hungry and impatient.  

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes and ice with powdered sugar icing, if desired.

I have a couple of tips for allowing the rolls to rise in a draft free warm environment…besides living in Florida!

I turn my oven on 200 degrees while I am making the rolls and then turn it off.  I place the rolls covered with a dish towel or foil in the oven for an hour and a half and they are out of the way and out of drafts from those cold midwest winds.

Actually, my favorite cinnamon rolls are in a little restaurant in Kansas City called “Corner Cafe” …but since I can’t really get there from here today, these are the next best thing….and they can be ready in half the time…which is why they are called Half the Time Cinnamon Rolls. 

Do you have a favorite cinnamon roll recipe?

I am so lucky that my daughter, sons, and grand daughters love to cook as much as I do.  

Blessings and hugs to all of you!

Half the Time Cinnamon Rolls

2016-01-08 13:53:01

No double rising for this cinnamon roll dough....quick and easy and delicious

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Ingredients

1. 2 and 3/4 cups flour
2. 3 Tablespoons sugar
3. 1 Teaspoon salt
4. 1 package dry yeast (or if you use the jar of yeast, use 2 1/4 teaspoons)
5. 1/2 Cup water
6. 1/4 Cup milk
7. 2 1/2 Tablespoons butter
8. 1 large egg

For the filling

1. 3 Tablespoons room temperature butter
2. 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
3. 1/4 Cup sugar

For the icing

1. 1 Cup powdered sugar
2. 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla
3. 2-3 Tablespoons milk (I used heavy cream)

Instructions

1. To make the dough, Remove 1/2 cup of flour and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, place the 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast together stirring until well mixed and set aside.
3. Heat the water, milk, and butter together in a small saucepan just until the butter has melted but still hot to the touch (you can use microwave if desired)
4. Add the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine before adding the egg
5. You might need a little of the 1/2 cup of flour you have set aside to make a soft dough
6. I needed about 2 tablespoons, but you may need the full 1/2 cup.
7. When the dough starts to pull away from the sides of your bowl...and bounces back when touched, your dough is ready to be kneaded.
8. Sprinkle a bit of flour on your counter top or board and knead the dough for about 3 minutes or so. You can tell when your dough is smooth and elastic that it is ready.
9. Place the dough in your bowl (I use the same bowl I mixed the dough and add a bit of butter to the bottom and sides...no need to wash the bowl) and let the dough rest covered with a dish towel for about 10 minutes.
10. While the dough is resting, mix the cinnamon and sugar...add raisins and nuts if desired and set aside.
11. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured counter top or board and roll the dough into a rectangle about 8 X 14 inches. (I use my hands to form the beginning of a rectangle and then I start rolling...I also use a ruler for sizing)
12. Spread the softened butter completely to the edges of the dough and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar.
13. Begin rolling the dough with both hands and roll away from you. Be sure to keep the rolling even and as tight a roll as you can.
14. Cut the roll of dough in half and then into 1-2 inch rolls (depending on how large you want your cinnamon rolls
15. Place each roll cut side down into a buttered 9 inch pie dish or baking pan of your choice.
16. Cover the rolls with the dish towel (or you can use foil) and place in a warm place to rise. (My tip is to preheat your oven to about 200 degrees while you are making your rolls and then turn the oven off. This way it is draft free and nice and warm for light puffy rolls)
17. I allow my cinnamon rolls to rise for about an hour and a half...I set my oven timer so I don't have to remember the rolls are in the oven....out of sight out of mind sometimes!
18. Once the rolls have doubled in size, I preheat the oven to 375° and bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Keep an eye of the tops of your cinnamon rolls and don't let them get too brown. You can always cover loosely with foil to stop the browning
19. To make the icing: Mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth...if icing is too thin add more powdered sugar...too thick, add more milk.
20. Drizzle or put as much icing as you prefer over the cinnamon rolls.
21. I prefer eating cinnamon rolls right out of the oven but you can keep them in a plastic container (with lid) for up to 5 days in the fridge (or at room temperature)

Notes

1. Even though you can freeze your cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months....mine never make it that far. They are eaten almost immediately and this smaller recipe is perfect for doing just that.
2. Also, these rolls can be started the night before...just mix the dough and instead of letting set in the bowl on your counter, place plastic wrap over the top and put in the fridge. The next morning remove the bowl and allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about an hour and then proceed with the rolling out and baking process.

Me and My Captain https://meandmycaptain.com/