Indulge into these gooey cinnamon rolls that require time and love, but it’s so worth it.

My fiancé and son frequently make the store bought tube of cinnamon rolls for breakfast. You know, the ones that scare the ever loving crap out of you when you open them? Yeah, those. While they are delicious, there are so many ingredients in them that I just can’t pronounce. Why are they in there? What do they do to our bodies after prolonged and frequent exposure? These questions led me to want to make them from scratch. Plus everything tastes better when you make it from scratch. I saw many recipes that all looked okay, but I knew where I needed to tweak them for my family’s liking. I hope you enjoy them just as much as we do! (:

Equipment Needed Before You Begin:

Stand mixer (not required but will make your life easier)
Rolling pin
2 9x13 baking dishes
Kitchen twine

Ingredients for the cinnamon rolls

4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (2 of the packets)
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp of granulated sugar, this helps proof the yeast
6 tbsp of unsalted butter
9 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, may be up to 10 cups depending on if the dough is still sticky
2 cups of hot water
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp salt
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, divided
1 cup of brown sugar (if you don’t have brown sugar in your pantry, mix together 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1-2 tbsp of molasses)
3 tbsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the frosting

1/4 cup of softened unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (if you do not have powdered sugar in your pantry, add 3 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and 1 tbsp of corn starch to a food processor or blender until it becomes powder)
4-5 tbsp milk, less is more in the beginning, add more if necessary
3 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Yields: 22-24 rolls Prep Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, lukewarm water, and sugar to proof. Place a wet paper towel loosely over the top to keep anything from getting in such as dust. It also prevents the air from affecting the bubbles from form. Set aside for 5-10 minutes or until you smell the yeast and see the fluffy bubbles form at the top.

2. In a stand mixer bowl (or large bowl if you will be using a hand mixer or spatula), add the unsalted butter, 1 cup of sugar, and salt to the 2 cups of hot water. Beat this for about 30 seconds to a minute. Let the mixture cool before adding 2 cups of flour (of the 9 cups), mix this until it is smooth in texture. Now, you can add the yeast mixture.

3. Slowly and gradually add the remaining 7 1/2-8 cups of flour. Mix until incorporated fully. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough until it is smooth and satin-like.

4. Place dough into a bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to rise for 30 minutes so the dough doubles in size. Remove from bowl and divide dough into half. Once divided, take one half of the dough and roll out with a rolling pin. Roll the dough into a rectangular size of about 20 X 12.

5. Once the dough has reached the correct size and shape, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.

6. Spread half of the softened butter, about 1/4 cup onto the 20 X 12 dough. Next, evenly sprinkle half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

7. Roll the dough into one long roll. The best way to do this in my experience, is to roll away from you. Once you have it in one log, cut the log into rolls by using kitchen twine (or a long knife). I do mine about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Place the rolls into a greased 9 X 13 pan and space them about 1 inch apart (for the second rise). Repeat steps 4, 5, 6, and 7 for the other half of the dough.

8. Cover both pans with a kitchen towel and allow the second rise to double in size. This will be about 10-15 minutes depending on the temperature of your home. While both are rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for about 22-27 minutes or until tops are lightly golden brown.

9. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature while you make the frosting. In a medium bowl, whisk the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until fully incorporated. Add more milk for thinner consistency if desired.

10. Frost cinnamon rolls to your liking and enjoy!

Photos of Important Steps

This is what the dough should look like after the first rise prior to dividing it in half. It should be mostly smooth and satin to the touch.

**Dividing the Dough**

You can use a knife to divide the dough in half, or a bench scraper if you have one. When you split the dough in half, be sure to place the half you are not using back into the bowl to avoid getting other ingredients on the dough.

When cutting into individual rolls, be cautious to cut them as similar as possible, about 2 or 3 inches in diameter. The thickness of your roll will determine the cook time. If you prefer them a little more done, go the 2 inch route. If you like them a little doughy and gooey (like we do), cut closer to the 3 inch mark.

**Rolling out the Dough**

When rolling out the dough and placing the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture, be sure to not get the mixture close to your rolling edges. This will cause spillage while rolling and baking.

You will notice that after baking, because they were space 2-3 inches apart in the pan, they will touch when they have finished baking. After allowing the rolls to come to room temperature, frost them to your liking.

Do these cinnamon rolls freeze well?

Yes, they absolutely do! Bake as usual, but do not frost them. Store them in a freezer-safe container and eat within two months. Upon reheating, just place aluminum foil on top of cinnamon rolls prior to baking. Bake them for 15 minutes, and frost them after they have cooled to room temperature.

The Cinnamon Rolls of your Dreams