Cinnamon Rolls

Seeing as the month is February, today is Valentine’s Day, and my wedding anniversary is in a few days, I have decided to share a very tasty and memorable recipe: the most amazing cinnamon rolls EVER. When I got married three years ago, my husband requested one thing: a cinnamon roll cake. Neither one of us is a big fan of cake, so this seemed like a scrumptious idea to me too.

A friend who is quite famous for her cinnamon rolls was asked to make sheets of them to accommodate all of the guests, (the cake was just for looks, and was not the “real” homemade cinnamon rolls). I didn’t know what I was in for. I have never had such big, fluffy, yet dense, yummy cinnamon rolls. What a way to make a memorable occasion even more delicious!

Cinnamon Rolls

1 recipe White Bread (see below)

4 ( to 8*) T. butter or margaine, softened

1/4 c. sugar (*original was all white)

1/4 c. brown sugar (*using brown helps with a caramel sauce)

4 t. cinnamon

Follow instructions to make dough below. Punch down dough, and divided and roll out into rectangle to make cinnamon rolls. Roll dough into rectangle, 15 x 9"; (* the rolls are giant, so roll out in more of a square and cut wider); spread with butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal well. Stretch roll to make even. Cut roll into slices. Place slightly apart in greased baking pan, 13x9x2", or in greased muffin cups. (*she cooks them on jelly roll pans). Let rise until double. Heat oven to 375 (* 325-350). Bake until done, 25-30 min. (*depending on size of roll and your oven).

White Bread

2 packages active dry yeast (*add 3)

3/4 c. warm water

2-2/3 c. warm water

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. salt

3 T. shortening (*or butter?)

9-10 c. of flour

Dissolve yeast in 3/4 c. warm water. Stir in 1-2/3 c. warm water, the sugar, salt, shortening and 5 c. flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 min. Place in a greased bowl. Turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a arm place until double, about 1 hour. (Dough is ready if impression remains). Continue making cinnamon rolls with instructions above.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing*

3 c. powdered (icing, or confectioner’s) sugar

1/3 c. butter, softened (* double the butter to 2/3 c.)

1-1/2 t. vanilla extract

1-2 T. milk

In a large bowl with high sides, mix the icing sugar and butter with a wooden spoon, or an electric mixer on low speed. Add the vanilla and 1 T. of the milk. Gradually beat in just enough of the remaining milk to make the frosting smooth and spreadable. If the frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a drop at a time. If the frosting becomes to thin, add more powdered sugar and beat. Makes about 1¾ cups.

[*Dee's notes: I went to get the recipe from Karen Christenson, the gal who makes the amazing cinnamon rolls. She said she uses the Betty Crocker recipe with a few modifications. I marked those with *. She said she uses a Buttercream icing, so I found this one online and it said it was from Betty Crocker. I hope this makes sense; good luck!]

Happy Valentine’s Day!

by Morgan, wife of Barbara's grandson Jason