Cinnamon Rolls

A simple iced cinnamon roll

Okay, so, for the past four years I have been entering the Tone's Cinnamon Roll Competition at the Iowa State Fair.  I haven't done it out of a passion for cinnamon rolls.  Actually, any taste I ever had for cinnamon rolls has all but died since I've made dozens upon dozens of these things for the past four years.  I do it for the money.  I want to win the $3000 prize for the best overall cinnamon roll.  I haven't won it yet, but I have won first place in the non-traditional class (see my Savory Cinnamon Pulled Pork Cinnamon Roll recipe).  I have finally decided that entering the traditional cinnamon roll and the sticky bun competitions is sort of like buying a raffle ticket--if all the stars align, and my rolls turn out perfectly, and I get the right judge who likes what I've done, then perhaps I will win that $3000 someday.  For now, I put most of my energy into my non-traditional entries.

From what I understand, this cinnamon roll is delicious.  I wouldn't know, because I don't eat them anymore.

The recipe says to make 8 cinnamon rolls in two 8" square pans, but the dough could be cut into 12 rolls and put into a 9 x 13 pan as well.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

DOUGH

• ½ cup milk (2%)
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 envelope dry yeast
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 4-4 ½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting work surface

FILLING

• ¼ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon ground Saigon/Vietnamese cinnamon (or just use 1 tablespoon of one kind)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

ICING

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 6-7 tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon Tone’s Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave until butter melts. Remove pan from heat and set aside until the mixture is lukewarm (about 100 degrees).

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the warm water, yeast, sugar, egg, and yolks at low speed until well mixed. Add the salt, warm milk mixture, & 2 cups of the flour,  and mix at medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook, add another 2 cups of the flour, and knead at medium speed (adding ¼ cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary) until the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes. Scrape the dough into a large lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover bowl with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk (1 ½ to 2 hours), or leave in the refrigerator over night.

3. After the dough has doubled, press it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 by 12 inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Mix together the brown sugar, the cinnamons and the salt, in a small bowl. Evenly spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough. Pour brown sugar mixture over the dough and spread with a fork or your fingers evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border at the far edge. Begin rolling with the long edge closest to you, pinching the dough with your fingertips as you roll, to make the roll tight. Moisten the top border with water and seal the roll. Press and gently squeeze the roll to make a uniform 16-inch cylinder.

4. Butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray, two disposable 8 x 8 inch square foil cake pans. Measure and mark the dough cylinder every two inches to make eight cinnamon rolls. Take a 2-3 foot piece of dental floss, slide it under the cylinder to the first 2-inch mark, then cross the ends and pull to slice through the dough. Repeat until you’ve cut 8 rolls. Slightly smush each roll before placing four rolls, evenly spaced, into each pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (1 ½ to 2 hours). Preheat your oven to 350°.

5. When the rolls have fully risen, put in the preheated oven and bake until rolls are deep golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll reads 185-190 degrees, about 25-30 minutes. Invert the rolls onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. While rolls cool, whisk icing ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Turn rolls upright onto a serving plate and drizzle with icing. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 rolls