Cinnamon Rolls
Makes 8 Pans or Approximately 64 Rolls. Guaranteed to make you fat and happy!
Ingredients:
The Dough -
4 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Sugar
2 Packages Active Dry Yeast
9 cups All-Purpose Flour (Reserve 1 Cup)
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Basking Soda
1 Tablespoon Salt
The Filling & Caramelized Top and Bottom -
2 Cups Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Ground Cinnamon
2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Cups White Sugar
The Icing -
1 Pound Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
1 Stick of Butter
1 Package of Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
Instructions:
The Dough -
Heat milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Turn off heat and cool until just warm. The mixture will take several minutes to cool down. Once cooled sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 60 seconds.
Transfer mixture to a KitchenAid with a paddle attachment and add in 8 cups of flour. Stir to combine and don’t forget to scrape down the bowl to get all the flour in. Remove the KitchenAid bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
After 1-hour place the Kitchen Aid bowl back on the mixer this time with a hook attachment and add the baking powder, baking, soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of flour. Stir to combine and beat until dough forms a ball. Remove the KitchenAid bowl from the mixer and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When you’re ready to roll remove the dough from the fridge and divide the dough in half. Each half will make 2 logs. Flour your countertop and roll out dough half into a long rectangle about 30 inches by 10 inches.
The Icing -
Add softened butter and softened cream cheese to a KitchenAid and beat until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar followed by the remaining icing ingredients. If your icing is too thick add more milk. If your icing is too runny add more powdered sugar.
The Filling & Caramelized Top and Bottom-
In a small bowl mix together the white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. This mixture will also be used for the caramelized top and bottom. Heat butter and pour all over rolled out dough. Once the dough is coated sprinkle sugar mixture all over. The sugar will start to dissolve into the butter making a paste. You want to add enough sugar that the sugar can no longer dissolve.
Begin to roll dough into itself using the “Type-Writer” method, pinching and pulling the dough over itself to create one long log. Cut rolls into 1/2 inch slices using a piece of unflavored floss.
Sprinkle sugar mixture onto the bottom of a pie pan. You want to coat the pan lightly but with enough sugar so that you can no longer see the bottom of the pan. Add the sliced rolls into the pan on top of the sugar mixture. Do not remove the rolls once you have placed them. You want the sugar to stay still.
Set the rolls aside and let rise for 1 hour. Once risen sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture on top of the rolls giving each roll an equal amount.
Baking & Serving -
Bake rolls at 375 F for 15 - 18 minutes. The rolls are ready once the middle roll has turned golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately pour frosting over rolls. Adding the icing while hot lets the icing sink all the way through the rolls and keeps them moist. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the dough to continue to cook all the way through.
Serve rolls warm! If they have cooled all the way pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds to heat them through again. Store rolls at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes:
This recipe is a variation of “The Pioneer Women”s cinnamon roll recipe. Although my version has a lot of changes her food network video is super helpful to learn her rolling and filling technique. Here’s a link to here Food Network Video. Pioneer Women Video