Wednesday, March 29, 2017

The absolute best cinnamon rolls ever!

I have been unable to find the cinnamon roll recipe that follows below anywhere online to be able to share with others that request the recipe.  My folded and worn printed recipe page was printed out in January of 2010, and most likely I may have found the recipe a while before that.  I figured it was long overdue for me to take the time to type up this recipe and get it saved somewhere electronically, in order to have a backup copy should I ever lose the printed recipe paper.  This is one recipe that I do not want to misplace, as I don't think I will ever try another cinnamon roll recipe again.  It is one of those recipes that once you find it, there is no need to try any different versions!  I have made this both in the bread machine, and without, using my Kitchenaid mixer to prep the dough and let it do a first rise before forming the rolls.  I wish I could give credit to the original poster, but alas, I cannot find online at this point. (The poster had a sense of humor, also, so as I cannot find who to credit, I am going to rewrite the recipe in a bit more boring fashion.)


Cinnabon Clone (bread machine)

Dough (2 pounds)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tbsp. salt
1 beaten egg
4 tbsp. melted butter
4 tbsp. water
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz.)
4 cups bread flour
2 tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. yeast

Filling
1/2 c. softened butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon

Icing
8 oz. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
16 oz. powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 c.)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Take the butter and cream cheese you will be using for the icing out of the fridge to begin softening.

DOUGH:
Place all the ingredients into your bread machine in the order required for your machine, and set it to its dough setting.  You will not be baking it, just using the bread machine for the mixing and rising process.  Depending on your bread machine, this process could take 1 1/2 hours or so.  I have also just made the dough in my Kitchenaid mixer instead, and let it rise for a while in a warm place, covered with a clean towel.

FILLING:
While your dough is mixing and rising, mix the 3 filling ingredients together, making sure you do not have too many lumps of brown sugar.  Set aside for when you are ready to actually fill and form the rolls.

ICING:
Mix the softened butter and cream cheese together in mixer until thoroughly combined.  Add powdered sugar and mix for another 12 minutes.  This is important as it seems it whips the icing and makes it light and fluffy...a wonderful texture!  Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract when the 12 minutes are just about up.

When your dough is ready, put it on a floured surface.  Punch it down and knead it for a little bit.  Use your rolling pin to roll it  into a 12x18 inch rectangle (actually, I like to make it even longer than 18 inches if I have the space to do so).   Spread your butter/brown sugar/cinnamon filling all over the rolled out dough, spreading to the edges.  Begin rolling up the dough from one of the long sides towards the opposite long side, working your way side to side, rolling a little at a time.   Once the dough has been rolled up, use a long string of dental floss to cut into approximately one inch lengths.  Slip the middle of the floss string under the end up your cinnamon "log", about an inch in from the end, bring the two ends up around to the top, criss cross them, and pull to cut your cinnamon roll.  Place gently in the lightly greased pan, beside each other, but not overstuffed (see picture below), so they will have room to rise a bit.  You may need to use more than a single 13x9 to fit them all in, depending on how big or small your cut rolls are.  Set oven to warm setting, and put your roll filled pans inside.  Turn the oven off when it is warmed, and let the rolls rise in the pans for 30 minutes or so.  Remove the pans, preheat the oven to 350, and then put the rolls back in to bake for about 15 minutes or so.  Remove them when the edges are golden brown, and ice.  I usually always have extra icing when I have followed this recipe even when being generous while icing the rolls, so keep that in mind.  Three-fourths of the icing recipe would probably be the perfect, and still generous amount (so 6 oz. or 1 1/2 sticks butter, 6 oz. or 3/4 of 8 oz. cream cheese package, 12 oz. or slightly more than 2 3/4 c. powdered sugar, 3/4 tsp. lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.)  Enjoy!