Resolve to Make Cinnamon Rolls

Last updated on: January 2, 2013 at 6:00 am by Rachel Marie Stone

Resolve to Make Cinnamon Rolls 2013-01-02T06:00:06-04:00 Rachel Marie Stone

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’ve shared this recipe before. But so what? It’s worth sharing again, especially because I kicked off our New Year’s Day by serving cinnamon rolls made from a different recipe that were a total flop, partly because I forgot to put salt in the dough, thereby giving edible illustration to the whole “salt of the earth” metaphor. Sigh.

While I can never resist trying new recipes for things, the rolls made from this, my old standby recipe, are good, and although I’m no food-science-y type person, I’ll bet they’ve got less sugar by weight than a good many breakfast cereals. Seriously. One of these, especially if you make them with half whole-wheat flour, makes a very respectable breakfast, especially if you share with people you love.

Yes, you need to use butter for these. That is what makes them good. My best tip for persuading people to think well of your cooking and baking is “use butter.” And, yes, you really should use whole milk. (Which reminds me of my second tip: don’t use reduced-fat anything.)

satisfaction guaranteed.

So here we go:

Dissolve a heaping tablespoon of dry yeast in ¼ cup of warm—not hot—water. Set aside.

Melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter, and stir in 1/3 cup sugar (I like to use organic fair-trade evaporated cane juice). Stir in 1 cup of whole milk that’s been warmed up slightly, 1 beaten egg, 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract and 1 and ½ tsp. salt. To this add the yeast-water mixture. Gradually stir in 4 to 5 cups bread flour (use up to half whole-wheat; if you do, add 1 Tablespoon wheat gluten to make it more delicious), changing the stirring to kneading once necessary. Knead 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic, wipe dough all over with butter, cover, and set aside for 1 hour.

Alternatively, if you have a bread machine, you can put the ingredients in the machine in the order described by the manufacturer (some are yeast first, some are yeast last) and run it on the “dough” setting.

Meanwhile, mix together 1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar and 2 to 2.5 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Set aside. Soften another stick (1/2 cup) butter and set aside.

When the dough has risen, gently push it down, and begin to stretch and pull it to fit an 11”x15” baking sheet. Take your time and push it down evenly. Using a pastry brush (or your clean fingers), spread softened butter all over the dough, except for the long side that is farthest from you, leaving a 1”x15” strip CLEAN.

Then carefully spread the cinnamon sugar over the butter. Roll up from bottom edge loosely—not firmly—and use the “clean” edge to seal up the roll. Saw the log very gently with a serrated knife into 1.5 inch pieces—it helps to score the log lightly before you cut–or take the easier way and snip through the log with kitchen shears. Lay the slices almost touching in a buttered 9”x13” pan. Cover and allow the rolls to rise for an hour.

While you wait, make the frosting by creaming together 2 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup of butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract. When the rolls have risen again, bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Tip onto a large plate immediately, and when slightly cooled, spread with frosting. Yum.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 1, 2013

Don't Diet in 2013. Eat with Joy.

Next Post

January 3, 2013 Is Jesus the iPhone of Life?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "health" activism agriculture animals anorexia Anticipating anxiety art autumn Baking beauty beer Bible Big Food binge eating blogging body image Books Bread of Life breastfeeding brokenness candy cartoons celebrity chefs children chocolate Classical Duckfaces Connecting consumption cooking creation care creativity current events death Dessert diabetes Dieting Eating Together Emotional Eating fair trade Faith Family Fannie Farmer fast food fat talk Films Food Food Policy formula feeding Gardening gluten free Grace gratitude guest posts guilt HIV/AIDS holiday hospitality housekeeping Jesus Joy just for fun Justice kindness Local media moment of joy north fork, long island OI parties personal pharmaceuticals photo photography plumpy'nut popular culture poverty pregnancy Preserving real food recipes rest restaurants School Food Seasons spring starvation summer Table Talk taste television theology travel Tuesdays With Fannie Uncategorized winter

Select a Month April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 August 2014 May 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What traveling companion of Paul was a physician and historian, writing two New Testament books?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Silas Mark Luke Barnabas