Nothing says comfort and warmth on a cold winter's day like a batch of fragrant, ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls warm from the oven and slathered with frosted goodness. So get a fire dancing, light up your ovens and start baking.
Jan Clark's family nominated her as baker of the "best cinnamon rolls ever." Jan's inspiration comes from her grandmother who, immigrating to America from Italy, found a job baking in a restaurant. The restaurant happened to be owned by a nice young man from Greece. The two fell in love, married and passed on both cooking and baking genes.
Jan's dough is a delicate Danish-style mixture, giving an incredibly soft texture to her baked rolls. She says it is important to line baking sheets with parchment paper so the tender centers won't stick and fall apart when served.
Danish Pastry Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: about 18 rolls
Pastry Dough:
• 2 packages yeast (5 teaspoons)
• 1 cup milk (warmed to 105 degrees to 115 degrees)
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3¼ cups all purpose flour
Butter Mixture:
• 3 sticks cold butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
Filling:
• 8 tablespoons melted or very soft butter
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Icing:
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
1. In a large mixer bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm milk and stir. Let stand five minutes to dissolve. Add eggs, salt and sugar; mix well. Add flour and mix until you have a sticky ball of dough. Set aside while you prepare butter mixture.
2. Blend butter and flour in a mixer bowl or by hand on a work surface until there are no lumps of butter. Place between two sheets of waxed paper and press or roll out until the mixture measures 7 X 9 inches. Keep edges as square as possible with a metal spatula. Refrigerate.
3. On a floured surface, turn out yeast dough and sprinkle with additional flour. Pat and roll out to a 10 X 14-inch rectangle, (short edge near you) keeping edges as square as possible with a metal spatula. Place butter mixture on bottom half of dough, leaving a ½-inch border on bottom three sides. Dust off extra flour on edge of dough and gently flip topside down over butter. Pinch edges to seal. Use a spatula to help turn dough ¼ turn to the right so long edge is now on your right.
4. Dust surface with flour and carefully roll out dough to an 8 X 20-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with additional flour if necessary to keep from sticking. Lift and check underneath, if necessary. Once it is the correct size, dust flour from surface and gently fold bottom third over middle and top third down to cover it. Press edges closed and turn (as before) to right so long seam is on your right. Repeat rolling and folding again, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Roll, fold and chill two more times.
5. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut in half. Roll out one half to an 11 X 17-inch rectangle. Smear half filling butter onto dough except for one inch on the near edge toward you. Sprinkle with cinnamon and ¼ cup sugar followed by ½ cup nuts, again leaving close edge clean. Gently press nuts into dough. Roll into a tight cylinder and pinch edge to close. Cut into one-inch slices and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Each half should make about nine rolls. Repeat with other half. Cover with a towel and allow to rise 45 minutes to an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with one egg beaten with one tablespoon water. Bake until browning, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling racks to cool. Brush with icing while still warm.
Carol Cline was nominated by her sister-in-law, Brenda Cline, who says Carol is famous in their family for her rolls. Carol's family says no one else's rolls could possibly measure up. Carol began baking when she was a young girl in 4-H and has never stopped. This is her adaptation of a recipe from Nutbread and Nostalgia, a South Bend, Ind., Junior League cookbook.
Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: 32 rolls
• 1 package dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 ½ cups sifted flour, divided
• 1 egg
Filling mixture:
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar, butter and salt; heat until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm. Add one cup flour and beat well. Beat in yeast and egg. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Cover and let rise in warm place, approximately 1½ to 2 hours.
On a lightly floured board, roll dough into two 16 x 8-inch rectangles.
In a small bowl, combine sugar, butter and cinnamon. Spread on dough. Roll up beginning with long side and cut into one-inch slices. Place into three or four greased eight-inch round pans. Let rise for 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned.
Says Carol, "I make a simple icing with powdered sugar, oil, milk and vanilla."
Co-workers at Trinity Bible Church laud Sarah Eggleston as "the Parker County homemade cinnamon roll baker extraordinaire." Her friends say she is always eager and willing to share a pan of her glistening goodies. Busy moms will enjoy knowing the secret that makes baking and sharing her rolls easy; she starts with a hot roll mix. Adding butter, sugar and cinnamon turn this trick into a masterpiece.
Sarah's Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: 12 rolls
• 1 box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix
• 3 tablespoons, plus ½ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon, plus 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons, plus 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• Dusting of flour
1. Combine hot roll mix and yeast packet provided in the box with three tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl.Stir until well mixed.Add one cup hot water (not boiling), two tablespoons butter, and one egg. Stir until dough clings together. Knead dough on a smooth surface dusted with flour until smooth.Slight amounts of flour can be added if dough is sticky.
Let dough rest 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Roll dough out to a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread six tablespoons softened butter evenly over the dough.Combine ½ cup sugar with four teaspoons cinnamon.Sprinkle evenly over buttered dough.Roll dough, starting from the long side, into a cylinder. Pinch dough together at the seam to secure and slice into 12 rolls.Place in a 13 x 9-inch pan that has been lightly greased. Bake 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3 tablespoons whole milk
Stir ingredients in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle on rolls as soon as they are removed from the oven.
For Carol's tips on forming cinnamon rolls CLICK HERE.
