Tender Cinnamon Rolls

The latest in my quest to make the perfect cinnamon roll. This may be the winner...soft, soft, soft!

Tender Cinnamon Rolls
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(Yield: 9x13 pan)

Dough Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or 2 pkgs. yeast)
2 Tablespoons warm water (115 degrees)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs or 3/4 cup Egg Beaters product
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup slightly warm buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sweet dough emulsion, optional (purchased from KAF)
4 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

     Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
    4 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
    3 Tablespoons butter
    1-1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
    1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

        ...OR...

     Vanilla Frosting Ingredients:
    4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, unsalted
    Few grains of salt, optional
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 cups powdered sugar
    Milk to desired consistency

    ...OR... 

     Glaze Ingredients: (may want to double glaze ingredients)
    1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
    3 to 4 Tablespoons milk
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional   

Directions:
Add 1 Tablespoon sugar and yeast to water. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Mix together butter, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs and salt. Beat well.
Add buttermilk, vanilla extract, sweet dough emulsion (if using), and yeast mixture to butter/sugar mixture.
Using a dough hook, mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from side of bowl. Continue to mix for 5 minutes.
Remove dough from bowl and knead on lightly floured surface for about a minute.
Place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and then a clean towel.
Let rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

Roll out dough into a large rectangle.
Spread dough with butter and then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Begin rolling dough by starting at the opposite side of rectangle and rolling tightly towards you.
Seal seam by pinching together. Slice dough log in half, then in half again, then in thirds, making 12 rolls. Place rolls in greased pan and allow to rise about 30 minutes.

After 20 minutes of rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 22 to 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. on an instant read thermometer.

Mix the frosting ingredients for approximately 5 minutes...OR, if using glaze, whisk ingredients with fork until smooth. Glaze rolls while still warm, but wait till rolls are cool if using frosting instead of glaze.

Tips:
Refrigerate baked rolls if using cream cheese frosting. 
Powdered (confectioner's) sugar yields best results when fresh.

Homemade Potato Rolls

Yeast rolls made even better with the addition of mashed potatoes.
Wish you could smell the wonderfulness...better yet, make some and enjoy!

The beauty of this recipe, besides taste...you can used leftover mashed potatoes.


Homemade Potato Rolls
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com 
(yields 9x13 pan of rolls)

Ingredients:

4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon instant yeast [or 1 package (1/4 ounce)  yeast]

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees) water (best if from cooking potatoes)

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar, divided

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

*Optional (egg wash): 1 egg yolk and tablespoon or two of milk (or water) beaten with a fork to brush on top of rolls before baking

Directions:
Begin by boiling potatoes until tender, reserving water (or use leftover mashed potatoes, but keep in mind that you may want to reduce salt in recipe if they were prepared with salt.)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar...let sit for 10 minutes.

Add mashed potatoes, melted butter, 2 cups of flour, salt, and remaining sugar to the yeast mixture, and mix on low speed for a minute, then using a dough hook, mix on medium speed for a few minutes, stopping to scrape bowl once or twice. Add in enough remaining flour to allow dough to come together in a ball. 

Place dough ball on clean, lightly floured surface, and knead a few times until dough is smooth. (At this point, you may store covered dough in fridge for up to one day, or you can continue making rolls.)

Divide dough into 24 balls and shape into smooth rolls, using floured hands. Place rolls in a 9x13 GREASED pan. Cover pan with clean towel and set in a warm place away from drafts. Let rolls rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size. *Once doubled, brush rolls with egg wash, if using.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pan in oven and bake rolls for 17 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for about 20 minutes before removing from pan and serving.

Personal preferences:
1) Use 2 teaspoons of salt in recipe...note: I use unsalted butter;

2) Brush the risen, unbaked rolls with egg wash;

3) Bake rolls in a glass pan in order to tell when the bottom (as well as tops) of rolls are
    golden brown;

4) Brush baked rolls with melted butter while still in pan.

Herbed Oatmeal Pan Bread

Delicious yeast rolls with a buttery, Parmesan herb topping from Pillsbury's, "The Complete Book of Baking."

Here's what you'll need:

Water, Rolled Oats, Flour, Yeast, Sugar, Salt, Butter (or margarine), Egg, Parmesan Cheese, Dried Oregano, Dried Basil, & Garlic Powder

Begin by boiling water in saucepan; stir in oats and remove from heat.

Stir in butter.

Let cool to 120 to 130 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; blend well. 

Add rolled oats mixture and egg.

Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

Stir in additional flour to form stiff dough.

On floured surface, knead in additional flour until dough is smooth and elastic...about 5 minutes.

Shape dough into ball, cover with large bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Remove cover, and then punch dough down several times to release all air bubbles.

Press into greased pan.

Using very sharp knife, cut diagonal lines 1-1/2 inches apart, cutting completely through dough. Repeat in opposite direction creating diamond pattern.

Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Uncover dough. Redefine cuts by poking tip of knife into cuts until knife hits bottom of pan; do not pull knife through dough.

In small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, and garlic powder; mix well. Set aside. (not pictured)

Spoon 4 Tablespoons of the butter over cut dough. 

Bake for 15 minutes.

Brush remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter over bread.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese-herb mixture. Bake until golden brown. 

  

Serve warm or cool.  

Optional: top with additional melted butter 

Herbed Oatmeal Pan Bread
(Pillsbury's Complete Book of Baking)

Bread Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
3 Tablespoons margarine or butter
3-3/4 to 4-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 pkg. active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)
1 egg

Herb Butter Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6 Tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

Directions:
Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan; stir in rolled oats. Remove from heat; stir in 3 Tablespoons margarine (or butter). Cool to 120 to 130 degrees F. In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; blend well. Add rolled oats mixture and egg. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in an additional 1-3/4 cups to 2-1/2 cups flour to form stiff dough.

On floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Shape dough into ball; cover with large bowl. Let rest 15 minutes. Grease 13x9-inch baking pan. Punch dough down several times to remove all air bubbles; press into greased pan. Using very sharp knife, cut diagonal lines 1-1/2 inches apart, cutting completely through dough. Repeat in opposite direction creating diamond pattern. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel.* Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover dough. Redefine cuts by poking tip of knife into cuts until knife hits bottom of pan; do not pull knife through dough. In small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, and garlic powder; mix well. Set aside. Spoon 4 Tablespoons of the butter over cut dough. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Brush remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter over bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese-herb mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.

TIPS:
* To bake at a later time, at this point let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove cloth towel. Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. Remove plastic wrap from dough; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as directed above.

Two 8 or 9-inch square pans or one 8-inch and one 9-inch square pan can be substituted for 13x9-inch pan. When using 2 square pans, one pan can be baked and the other pan refrigerated for baking the next day.

HIGH ALTITUDE:  Above 3500 Feet: No change.

Recipe Review - Cinnamon Rolls

Valley Ridge Recipes

...is your mouth watering yet?


This recipe is from Valley Ridge Recipes, and if you like cinnamon rolls...these are quick and tasty. 

Or see my recipe for my latest cinnamon rolls here.

Here's what you'll need (for the rolls):
All-purpose Flour, Yeast, Sugar, Salt, Water,  Eggs, Oil, and Cinnamon and (Butter, not shown). You may add Nuts and/or Raisins.

Here's what you'll need (for the Icing):
Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Butter, Salt, and Milk (or cream).

I also used a small amount of Butter Flavor Crisco (for the icing).

Let's start making rolls... Add sugar to a mixing bowl, preferably one with a dough hook.

Add yeast.

Add oil.

Add warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees F.)

Stir mixture well.

  


Let sit for 15 minutes. Should be puffy...if not, then yeast is dead (or your water was too cold or too warm).

Once 15 minutes is up, add salt.

Add eggs.

Add flour.

Mix together for 10 minutes, then let sit for 10 minutes.

Oil counter-top and dump out dough.

Divide dough in half. (I skipped this step, because I only made half of the recipe to start with).


Press mixture into rectangle (use your hands). 

Spread dough with melted butter, then with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Cover sugar mixture with nuts and/or raisins, if using.

Starting with the long side, roll up dough. (not pictured)


Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet.
Repeat with other half of dough, if you made the full recipe.

I was unable to roll dough as tight as I'd like, because I placed too much oil on the counter top, so my dough was slippery. Fortunately, this did not affect taste or texture!

Let dough rise for approximately 20 minutes. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. (Mine baked for 18 minutes)
Yeasty, cinnamony, sugary, nutty, buttery bliss...and we haven't yet frosted the darlings.

To make the Icing/Frosting...
Mix together butter, vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar.
I also added butter-flavor Crisco. Add in small amount of milk to reach desired consistency. 
(this step not pictured)

Frost the rolls once they have cooled a bit.

Better than the cinnamon rolls at the mall!

I halved the recipe and still came out with 15 BIG rolls.

Here is an approximate breakdown of my time from start to finish:
20 minutes total to mix and let yeast mixture rise.
23 minutes total to mix and let flour/yeast mixture rest.
6 minutes total to oil counter, shape dough, top with butter & nuts.
3 minutes total to cut dough into rolls and place on cookie sheet.
20 minutes to let rolls rise on cookie sheet.
18 minutes to bake.
5 minutes to prepare frosting.
1 minute to frost rolls.
96 minutes, or 1 hour and 36 minutes.
 

*My changes and tips: 
Halved her recipe for rolls.
Halved her recipe for Icing, THEN reduced powdered sugar in frosting to 3/2 cups total.
Added pecans to rolls.
Added 2 tablespoons butter-flavor Crisco to Icing.
Divided dough into rolls by using strand of thread [or dental floss (un-waxed).] 
See this Video on how to cut rolls.
Optional: microwave rolls for approximately 20 seconds before serving

RECIPE: Cinnamon Rolls (Valley Ridge Recipes)

See the comments under her recipe. On May 5, 2012, you will see the measurements for 1/2 of the recipe.