Hosting brunch for the holidays? Tis this season for warm, homemade, comfort food. Homemade Cinnamon Rolls is a great dish where the aroma reminds you of being home for the holidays. This roll recipe makes approximately 2 dozen rolls which is great for hosting a crowd.
My favorite breakfast of all time is bacon and eggs. However if I am going to eat something sweet for breakfast, it is most likely cinnamon toast or cinnamon rolls. I have two fond childhood memories of cinnamon rolls. One is my Grandmother showing up early in the morning to visit us while camping always with a hot pan of cinnamon rolls. Now, I realize how early she must have gotten up to bake us hot, homemade cinnamon rolls.
My second memory, surprisingly, were the cinnamon rolls from the school cafeteria. This may sound strange but back in the day in our small town, these cinnamon rolls were made from scratch by my classmates’ grandmothers who worked in the cafeteria. The rolls were always served with chili and although that combination might sound odd, it was amazing. I have been making my cinnamon rolls around the holidays. The first Christmas we had in our own home with the kids, I got up and made this recipe.
The recipe below is my own creation of different bread recipes and different cinnamon breads. I tried different doughs and different fillings until I found the combination I liked the best. These rolls are light and fluffy. The filling is just the right amount of sweet without being overpowering. I actually prefer to cook the rolls in the cast iron like my grandma. Of course, cinnamon rolls are very adaptable as you can add raises, nuts, and cranberries. They can be dressed up with a glaze. I prefer my rolls naked as my family describes them. Enjoy!!!
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 packages of active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading
- 1 stick of unsalted butter room temperature
Cinnamon Filling – Makes 2 cups
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water in large bowl about 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in beaten egg, salt, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of warm water. Add 5 cups of flour and stir until combined well. Add 1 stick butter and stir until well combined. Add remaining cup of flour and stir until stiff dough forms.
- Lightly flour a work surface and turn out dough on surface. Knead until you have a smooth, stiff ball of dough, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, adding flour a tablespoon at a time as needed until dough is no longer sticky . Transfer dough to large, buttered bowl and cover with towel. Let rise for 1 hour until dough has doubled in size.
- After 1 hour, punch down dough and turn out on flowered work surface. Knead a few times and let rest while you make the filling. Combine all of the ingredients for the filling and stir. Filling should not be liquid but more of a paste texture. Split dough in two even halves.
- Take 1 half of the dough and roll out dough in a 9×13 rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Spread half the filling over the rectangle leaving approximately 1/2 inch on all edges. Tightly roll dough lengthwise and pinch the seam close. (This is usually messy, FYI) With a very sharp knife, evenly slice rolls about 1 inch thick. Place each roll side by side in 2 buttered cast iron skillets or a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Repeat with 2nd half of dough. Cover rolls with towel or plastic wrap and let rise approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Careful not to let dough rise so high that it overflows.
- Preheat over to 400 degrees. Cook rolls for 20 to 25 minutes.
No Comments