Cora's Cottage

Cinnamon rolls are a fan favorite especially as the weather begins to cool down.

While there are many variations of different types of cinnamon rolls from pumpkin to apple, one of my favorites is still just an original cinnamon roll.

To make my favorites, it usually only takes me about 15 minutes to mix the ingredients. This makes them perfect for when there are other household chores but you desire a sweet treat.

The dough for these cinnamon rolls call for water, active dry yeast, oil, sugar, salt, and flour. Start by measuring out 1/3 of a cup of sugar. From this 1/3 cup of sugar, take one tablespoon and dissolve it in two cups of warm water, about 110°F. After the sugar has dissolved in the warm water, this should only take a few seconds, add in the yeast. Mix in the yeast and allow it to proof until it resembles a creamy foam on the top. This will take about 5 minutes.

Once the yeast has proofed, mix in the remaining sugar, salt, and oil. Add in the flour 1 cup at a time continually kneading the dough. I like to use all-purpose flour; however, you can also use whole wheat, bread, or a mix of flours.

As it begins to form more into a dough, I add less and less flour each time. This helps to stop me from adding too much flour and making the dough dry.

Once you have mixed the dough, place it into a well oiled bowl and turn it to coat all sides of the dough. Place the bowl with the dough in a warm area such as on top of a preheated oven. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise until it has doubled in size which will take approximately 1 hour but can vary depending on how warm or cool it is where the dough is rising.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead the dough for about one minute. Place the dough on a well floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle. The rectangle should be about 12 by 18-24 inches. This will leave the dough approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Once the dough is rolled out, take melted butter or room temperature butter that is soft and spread it over the entire surface of the dough. Then take a mixture of half cinnamon and half sugar and sprinkle it over the entire surface of the dough followed by ground cinnamon. Once the dough is completely covered in the cinnamon and sugar, gently begin rolling along the long edge of the dough to create a log.

When you have the dough log rolled, use a bench scraper, sharp knife, or a piece of twine or string to slice cinnamon rolls that are approximately 1-1.5 inches. This should result in 12 complete cinnamon rolls as well as ends and pieces where the dough did not make a complete, perfect circle for a cinnamon roll.

When all of the cinnamon rolls have been sliced, add them to a well greased 9 by 13 pan. The ends and pieces can be added to a pan of the appropriate size. Then place the cinnamon rolls in a warm area to rise for approximately 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, place the cinnamon rolls into an oven that has been preheated to 350°F for 30 minutes.

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the icing for the top of the cinnamon rolls. For the icing you will need butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk. Start by melting the butter, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Whisk or blend all of these ingredients together until they are smooth.

When the cinnamon rolls have finished baking, they should be a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and immediately apply the icing. While you can wait to apply the icing, it is much easier to spread the icing while the cinnamon rolls are warm and will lightly melt the icing.

These cinnamon rolls can be served after they have cooled for about 10 minutes or they can be served cold. One of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy them if they have cooled completely is to pop them in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

These are the perfect treat for a family gathering or a cold, snowy afternoon.