Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls..

Oh, the cinnamon roll. I just love them. The problem that I've found with them is they are often way too sweet or way too heavy. Often, I could never get the dough to rise. I have spent months trying to create the "perfect" recipe and I finally did it. I will even share with you a sure way to get your dough to rise. I plan on baking many batches of these to pass on to friends, neighbors, and co-workers for the holidays.

What you will need for the dough:

• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk ( I use whole)
• 1 package dry active yeast

The filling:

• 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup unsalted softened butter

The icing:

• 1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions :

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, and salt together. In a small pan, warm the milk until it is hot to the touch. Remove from heat and add yeast. Whisk together until yeast is completely dissolved. Add slightly beaten eggs and butter to pan and stir. Add pan contents to flour mixture and stir together. Dough will be slightly wet and sticky.  Sprinkle a little flour on a surface and your hands. Knead dough until it becomes smooth.

Here is the BEST part. Just as you start kneading your dough, boil a good amount of water in an oven safe pan and preheat your oven to 180°. Place the pot of water in the oven and turn it off.

Make your dough a large ball and place in a bowl. Cover with a towel. Place in oven with the water and let is rise for an hour.

Remove dough and pan of water from oven. Add a little more water to the pan and set aside.

Flour a surface and your hands. Knead dough well. Sprinkle a rolling pin with flour and roll dough into a rectangle until dough is about 1/4" thick. Brush on softened butter with a basting brush. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together then sprinkle onto the buttered dough. LIGHTLY roll over with a rolling pin to help it stick to dough.

Roll dough up and cinch the ends to keep filling in. To cut your rolls, I suggest using dental floss. Cut a large piece and slide it under the roll. Measure a roll about 1 1/2 ", then pull and cross the dental floss until it cuts the dough.

While you are cutting the rolls, preheat your oven to 180° and bring the pan of water to a boil again. Then turn off the oven.

Place rolls in a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. I usually cut only 9 so I can give them room to rise. Place the pan of water and your cinnamon rolls in the oven. Let rise (uncovered) for one hour.

Your cinnamon rolls should have doubled or even tripled in size. Remove them from the oven.

Preheat your oven to 400°. Bake cinnamon rolls for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

Icing directions:

Mix 8 oz package cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla extract and whip until smooth and creamy. Apply to warm (not hot) cinnamon rolls.

Hints: These cinnamon rolls are not over the top sweet and the icing is meant to be less sweet than most. If you like sweeter icing, add more powdered sugar to taste.

Tweaks: I made apple butter on a previous day and spread it LIGHTLY (as it has a lot of moisture and can result in doughy rolls) on my dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture. You can add peeled, thinly sliced apples, raisins, dates, chopped nuts, or caramelized drained pears.

Tips: The proof box method I explained will guarantee your dough to rise. It works every time I've used it.

Until next time, happy cooking..... ☺