Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Best Ever Cinnamon Rolls


Our church is having a back to school lunch after church complete with chili and cinnamon rolls.  We are all bringing old grade school pictures to make a collage for everyone to look at.  I volunteered to make the cinnamon rolls. 

After the words " I'll make them all" slipped out of my mouth I thought to myself  "silly you haven't made home made cinnamon rolls in a long time".  I have a recipe that I haven't made in years.  I tried it but wasn't happy with it.  So I went on a hunt.  I found numerous recipes and some I might fix later for family but for a school cinnamon roll they needed to bake close together and fluffy and soft. 

I found a great recipe and it's easy to make either in your bread machine or by hand.  The recipe said that the rolls freeze well.  I tried freezing them and then letting them thaw and rise then bake them and it works.  They do freeze well.  These rolls are so light, fluffy, and moist.  and mild tasting.  Not too sweet or too plain.  I'm excited about this recipe.  I'm the kind of person who would put butter on my warm cinnamon rolls to melt down the side of each bite.  But with these I don't need any butter.  They are great just on their own merit.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did...oh by the way because I'm on a healthier eating plan I gave away all but three rolls.  These are too dangerous to keep around.  Of course I only kept them for experimental use only.  I have to make sure they stay fresh for a couple of days.  I also froze four of them to see if they will work after being frozen.  They are super easy to make.  Enjoy!


  Cinnamon Roll




Cinnamon Roll




Cinnamon Rolls (hand made)
2 c. Buttermilk
1/2 c. Oil
1/8 t. butter flavoring
1/8 t. vanilla flavoring
1/2 c. Sugar
.25 oz pkt yeast
4 1/2 c. A.P. flour (divided for recipe by hand)
1/2 t. Baking powder
1/2 t. Baking soda
1 1/2 t. salt
                
Filling
1/4 c. Brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cinnamon
4 T. Softened butter
1 c. Chopped nuts (pecans/optional)
1 c. Raisins (optional)

Makes 16 servings

Mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil and sugar in a saucepan and warm this mixture to just before the boiling point… (see note) then remove from heat let it cool down then stir in dry yeast. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to let the yeast bloom.

Add 4 (of the 4½ cups) of flour to the buttermilk mixture and stir well (no need to knead, just mix well). Dough at this stage will be extremely sticky and more like a thick batter. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for an hour.

In a small, separate bowl, mix the final ½ cup of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. After the sticky dough has rested/raised for an hour, stir it down and add this final half cup flour mixture. Mix until well incorporated (by hand or electric mixer)...just takes a minute.

Turn batter (which will still be quite soft and sticky) out onto WELL-floured counter and roll the dough around a few times, coating the surface with flour so it is not so sticky. Roll (or pat) dough out into a rectangle that is about ½” thick. Spread dough surface with 2 tablespoons butter then evenly spread on the filling ingredients and top with nuts (pat the nuts into the sugar a little). Roll up, jellyroll style, keeping it as tight as you can. Pinch the seam shut tightly. Cut 1½” slices and lay them, cut side down, in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake in pre-heated 350F oven for about 25 minutes or until golden and they sound hollow when you tap on them. Drizzle with glaze while the rolls are still hot and serve war.

Bread Machine Recipe

Spray bread machine with non-stick spray. 

Heat buttermilk in microwave 1-2 minutes until warm.  Pour buttermilk into bread machine.  Add oil and flavorings. 

In a bowl or gallon size baggie, mix all dry ingredients for cinnamon rolls except yeast. 

Pour flour mixture over top of wet mixture making sure all sides and corner of the wet ingredients are completely covered. 

Make a shallow well about an inch deep and pour yeast into well, making sure yeast does not come into contact withe the liquid. 

Place Bread pan into machine and set it to the dough setting.  When done remove and follow the directions above in the hand made recipe.  Makes 16 servings.


Close-Up Cinnamon Roll (OH soooo moist and soft)!