Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls

Nothing is better than waking up to the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls baking in the oven, all that aroma of cinnamon lingering through the house. A while back I found a recipe at How To Cook Like Your Grandmother for homemade cinnamon rolls. A couple weeks back I got an itch to make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. They can be a lot of work, but in the end they are so worth it. 

What I loved about this recipes is that you could prepare the cinnamon roll dough the night before, and and place it in the refrigerator. In the morning just slice, rise and bake. This was such a huge time saver. I still does take a bit of time to slice the rolls and allow them to do a second rising, but most of the hard work is done the night before. Really it's just a waiting game in the morning. 

Trust me it is so worth the wait these cinnamon rolls were out of this world good all that vanilla glaze dripping off those warm rolls. This was the first time I have used brown sugar in the filling and to me it really made the difference. Don't you have someone special you want to bake these wonderful cinnamon rolls for?

In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, bring the milk nearly to a boil. When a film starts to form on the top, turn off the heat and skim it off with a spoon. Add the sugar, salt, and the first half-stick of butter and stir until the sugar and butter are both melted. Set the milk/butter mixture aside to cool to room temperature.
In a separate bowl, combine the yeast and warm water and stir quickly.


Stir in the egg.



Add the milk/butter mixture. (Make sure it's cooled down to room temperature or you'll kill the yeast.)


Add the flour and stir until the flour is all incorporated and the dough comes together in a soft, loose ball.


Add a couple of tablespoons of oil, I used extra virgin olive to a clean bowl. Roll the dough around until it is oiled all over,


then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet dish towel. This will keep the dough from drying out and forming a skin, which would keep it from rising. Put the bowl someplace warm, not hot -- inside the stove, turned off but with the light turned on is about perfect.


until the dough has doubled in volume, about an hour-and-a-half.


Once the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and satiny.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle about an eighth-inch thick. Soften the butter, but don't melt it. Spread it evenly onto the dough.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread the cinnamon evenly over the dough and roll it up.

I start rolling from one side and then fold over as I go until I have the first part rolled up. Then I take the whole thing and start rolling and rolling. Thank you Carson for helping mommy take pictures.


all rolled up and ready to cut. At this point I did the night preparation.

So, wrap the roll in plastic wrap, to keep it from drying out


then in aluminum foil, to help keep the shape. Put the wrapped roll in the fridge overnight. The next morning, the cold dough will be firmer and much easier to cut. In the morning remove the dough from the fridge don't be surprised if the roll has risen just a bit. Some of the dough might of popped through the plastic wrap but that is ok. Just unroll and proceed to cutting.



I start by making even cuts across the dough where i want to cut the cinnamon rolls.





cut into rolls using a knife, fishing line or dental floss then oil a baking sheet and arrange the rolls with room in between. Place the baking sheet in the oven -- turned off but with the light on again


until the dough warms up and the rolls double in size.
(See Doubled in Size in ready to bake)



Turn the oven to 00 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown on top.





Arrange the rolls on your serving dish, and prepare the glaze.



Pour it over the rolls.



Serve!!!!!!!!!!!



Oh so yummy!



Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons yeast (one package)
1/4 cup warm water (105°-115°)
1 egg

1 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups bread flour

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

(optional) raisins

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Start by scalding the milk. Scalding breaks down a protein in the whey that can keep the dough from rising as much. In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, bring the milk nearly to a boil. When a film starts to form on the top, turn off the heat and skim it off with a spoon.

Add the sugar, salt, and the first half-stick of butter and stir until the sugar and butter are both melted. Set the milk/butter mixture aside to cool to room temperature. In a separate bowl, combine the yeast and warm water and stir quickly.

Stir in the egg. When the milk/butter mixture is completely cool add the yeast, egg mixture.  If you don't cool the milk down it will kill the yeast if you add it too soon. Add the flour and stir until the flour is all incorporated and the dough comes together in a soft, loose ball. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil (I always use extra virgin olive) to a clean bowl.

Roll the dough around until it is oiled all over, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet dish towel. This will keep the dough from drying out and forming a skin, which would keep it from rising.

Put the bowl someplace warm, not hot -- inside the stove, turned off but with the light turned on is about perfect -- until the dough has doubled in volume, about an hour-and-a-half. Once the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and satiny. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about an eighth-inch thick. Soften the butter, but don't melt it. Spread it evenly onto the dough.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough and roll it up. cut into rolls and oil a baking sheet and arrange the rolls with room in between.

Place the baking sheet in the oven -- turned off but with the light on again -- until the dough warms up and the rolls double in size. Then turn the oven temperature to 400° and bake for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. Arrange the rolls on your serving dish, and prepare the glaze. Pour it over the rolls.

Night Before Assembly:

Wrap the roll in plastic wrap, to keep it from drying out, and then aluminum foil, to help keep the shape. Put the wrapped roll in the fridge overnight. The next morning, the cold dough will be firmer and much easier to cut. Use a knife, fishing line or dental floss, once they're all cut, oil a baking sheet and arrange the rolls with room in between.

Place the baking sheet in the oven -- turned off but with the light on again -- until the dough warms up and the rolls double in size. (This could take 2-3 hours so plan accordingly) Then bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. Arrange the rolls on your serving dish, and prepare the glaze. Pour it over the rolls.

32 comments

Sheila said…
These look fabulous! I am planning to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast this weekend and now I have the perfect recipe! I think brown sugar always makes recipes taste so much better than they did with white sugar.
Tina Butler said…
Hi Shelia, I really do think the brown sugar was the key ingredient in the filling. I have always used regular sugar and cinnamon, but they never tasted quite right. I am so glad I found this recipe. I hope you enjoy the rolls. Now I want to make the this weekend.
Michelle said…
These look great. I've got a Potato Dough recipe for Caramel Rolls....these might bring in some heafty competition!!

And thanks for the link. I'm always looking for foodie blogs!!
YumYumYum... munch munch - oops just ate my monitor LOL. Seriously those look incredible!!
Justin said…
these have got to be a million times better than the packaged stuff -- they look great
Meg said…
They are a lot of work, but so worth it! They look fabulous!
♥ mesa para 4 said…
So delicious and pretty :-)
Heidi said…
Yummy! I use the brown sugar in mine too. My grandma makes the very best cinnamon rolls. They do take some time to make, but they are worth it! I make the same glaze as you too, but have wondered about the icing that uses cream cheese in it. Have you tried that one?
Bunny said…
Not far now you have me hungry for cinnamon rolls! They look fantastic!
Tina Butler said…
Heidi I have added cream cheese before to cinnamon roll glaze. I just add a bit at a time and mix it in with the vanilla, milk and pow. sugar. I did do a search online and found the glaze for the clone of a cinnabon, maybe that will help you out. It looks good!

Clone of a Cinnabon Icing1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
McBee said…
Oh, those look sooooooo good!
connie said…
I laughed out loud when you said that your kids fight over the middle. My kids did the same thing.
Wow, that's an odd feeling, seeing someone follow my recipe step by step like that. I've seen the finished products before, but this is the first one that showed all the steps. It's like looking in the mirror and the person looking back has more hair and different eyes. I'm so glad you liked it.
Lynn said…
Yum, these look great. I made cinnamon biscuits with a lovely glaze last week, but these look even better.
Su said…
Oh my goodness, that looks delicious. I'm always scared of trying recipes with yeast, I don't know what it is but I just get freaked out. But wow, these look so good I have to try them
Jen said…
My dough is in the oven rising now with the light on. It didn't look exactly like yours in the picture. More lumpy than that. Did I not stir it enough? Will let you know how they taste. This is my first time to make ANYTHING with yeast. I have always feared yeast :)
Thilltribe said…
These turned out beautifully! My family loved them!! I used a cream cheese frosting (from leftover homemade oreo cookie filler) and thy werte divine...the compared to Cinnabon in the mall. Great recipe I am sure to make this again...this weekend. Although the dough burst out of my wrapping so I just baked them all instead of putting them in the fridge.
Anonymous said…
these look wonderful can't wait to make them
Anonymous said…
These look so yummy! Here's a tip: if you don't want to wait overnight to cut your dough, you can use dental floss! Just put a piece of floss under the dough then pull the two strands up, cross them, and pull. It works so well!
Anonymous said…
oh my gosh! I love homemade cinnamon rolls! YUM YUM! Now I want to make some.
Anonymous said…
These have got to be the tastiest thing I have ever made and I cook all the time. My new Christmas morning tradition starting this year. Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous said…
I like the idea of putting them in the frig. overnight. I think I'll do that for our homeschool co-op party. I use a whole wheat recipe. So good!
Darcy said…
I have mine rising in the oven right now. I've never heard of turning the light on to help the dough rise. What a great idea. My dough seemed very sticky as if i could of added more flour. I added is actly 3 1/2 cups. Hopefully they turn out!! My kids love my baking so I just added a recipe to the list. Thank you so much for posting this good and very cute sight.
Darcy said…
I was the one worried about the dough being sticky with 3 1/2 cups of flour. Omg they were perfect!! One thing I learned from my mom is to mix some melted butter, brown sugar, and a touch of cinnamon together and spread on the bottom of the baking dish. Then when cinnamon rolls are done baking flip them over onto the counter so the top of them are gewy..My kids love them that way. I still added the glaze to the rolls!!
Great recipe,
Darcy
Kristin Sellars said…
They look so yummy! Just wondering...is the bread flour that important or can you use all purpose flour instead?
I have only used bread flour for this recipe. I also have a cinnamon roll recipe from The Pioneer Woman on my site. You can do a search for that recipe. I think it uses all purpose flour.
This was SO yum! I think next time I may add a little bit more sugar/cinnamon/butter to it, but that's just personal preference!

Here are some pictures of my rolls if you'd like to see (crappy cell phone pictures)

Before the second rising:
http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq313/myall4him2/before1.jpg

Before going in the oven after the second rising:
http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq313/myall4him2/before2.jpg

and ready to eat!
http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq313/myall4him2/before3.jpg

Thanks for the recipe!
Anonymous said…
Hello just wanted to just mention your site is fantastic so nicely detailed which helps so much and the receipe is simple and straight forward..i enjoy your blogue very much and wish you many success and happiness in your kitchen.All the best. Ana
ps: by the way i am from portugal maybe something quite different but i love your receipes.
Anonymous said…
I was just wondering if I am supposed to let the water and yeast sit together a few minutes before adding anything else?
Tina Butler said…
You add the water and yeast and then the egg. Once the milk mixture cools you will add the yeast mixture to the milk mixture. Then add everything into the dry ingredients.
Unknown said…
Do I leave the rolls in the oven while the oven warms up to 400 degrees? If so...then do I add 10-15 minutes baking after that?
No, you take your dough out of the oven while it is preheating.