Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

The smell of baking cinnamon rolls throughout the house makes it worth the time and effort it takes to prepare them. Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are not hard to make, but it does take a small chunk of your day to get them from the mixing bowl to the oven.  Allow me to repeat: these delicious homemade cinnamon rolls are worth the time and effort!

You are going to love this recipe, it makes a dozen huge cinnamon rolls that are so delicious, your family and friends will probably tell you to open your own bakery.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

(Makes 12 HUGE cinnamon rolls)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tbls. ground cinnamon
• 2 TB active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup melted butter OR margarine
• 1 cup 110 degree water
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• About 5-6 cups all-purpose flour, more if needed

For the coating of the bottom of your pan:

• 1/2 cup melted butter or nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (or granulated sugar works, too)

For brushing the tops of your cinnamon rolls before baking:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Optional add-ins:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, pecans or raisins

Directions:

1. Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and the cinnamon; set aside for later use.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs.
4. Add yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour to mixture; beat until smooth; stir in enough flour to form a slightly stiff dough.
5. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 8 minutes. (Or – I let my mixer’s kneading hook do all the work.)
6. Place dough into a large greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (approx. 1 hour).
7. Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
8. Roll dough out onto a floured surface into a 15″ X 20″ rectangle.
9. Brush 1/2 cup melted butter over dough; sprinkle cinnamon sugar (from direction #1) over dough; sprinkle any optional add-ins (raisins, nuts).
10. Tightly roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal.
11. Cut the roll into 12 – 15 slices equal slices and place onto prepared 13x9x2 baking pan. *Prepare baking pan with 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/3 cup sugar spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. (You can lower the fat and sugar content by skipping this step and just coating the pan with nonstick spray.)
12. Cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
13. Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Preparation time: 30 minutes plus about 2 hours of rise time and 25 minutes cook time.

Cinnamon Roll Icing Recipe

I’m not a huge fan of cream cheese icing on cinnamon rolls, but I think these cinnamon rolls taste super yummy when there’s a little bit of cream cheese added to the recipe.  The recipe below doesn’t have an overpowering cream cheese flavor. If you do love to taste the cream cheese in your icing, you may want to try a different recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2-3 T. Milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer. Tip: Warm the cream cheese and butter a bit in the microwave if necessary so they will easily whip together.
2. Add vanilla, milk and powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly.

Spread over hot cinnamon rolls.