Savvy Entertaining

My BFF came over the other day and we had a flurry of floury fun in the kitchen (say that five times fast!). One of the things we made was cinnamon rolls. They were, to say the least, divine. Especially warm from the oven. We managed to restrain ourselves and at least wait until they were frosted to eat one rather than snatch them right out of the pan.

The recipe is simple to follow and the rolls are so yummy. The rolls also freeze well, so you can make them up in batches and freeze for yourself or for gift-giving. They can be reheated in the oven or nuked in the microwave for about 20 seconds to bring back that fresh from the oven warmth and gooey deliciousness.

Ingredients

Start by scalding milk with oil and sugar.

Once the milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm, you can add in a package of yeast.

Sprinkle yeast over the milk and let rest for a minute.

Stir in yeast and four cups of flour.

Place the pan in a warm area, cover with a tea towel and let the yeast do its thing for about an hour. I like to put my pan in front of the fire. It is warm and makes the dough smell heavenly.

Next, stir in the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. You will have a lovely lump of dough.

Roll the dough into a long rectangle.

Pour on melted butter.

Followed by cinnamon and sugar.

Roll the dough toward you, keeping it tight (or as tight as you can when the dough is smooshy and the filling is gooey!)

Pinch the outside edge to create a seam and keep all the filling trapped inside.

Slice into 1 1/2 inch rolls and place in prepared pan.

Leave a little space around the rolls for rising. Cover with a tea towel for about 15 minutes before baking.

Warm, brown and ready to be iced!

Icing is easy to make, just blend cream cheese, butter, milk, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. It should be thick but pourable.

Smother the rolls with icing. Don't miss any spot!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

2 cups milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 package active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/3 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tbsp. salt

Filling

1 cup melted butter

¼ cup cinnamon

1 cup sugar

Icing

4 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup milk

3 tbsp. melted butter

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Scald the milk, oil and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat (bring heat to nearly a boil, but don’t let it boil!). Set aside and cool to lukewarm (think temperature of a baby’s bottle). Sprinkle yeast on top of milk and let rest for one minute.

Add four cups of the flour and stir until just combined. It is going to be sticky. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm place for an hour.

Remove the towel and add baking powder, baking soda, salt and final 1/2 cup of flour. Stir to combine.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, somewhere in the proximity of 10 inches by 30 inches.

Pour melted butter over dough. Use your fingers or a knife to spread evenly. Sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar. You can also mix cinnamon and sugar into the butter before pouring over dough. Either way works fine.

Beginning at the long end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly toward you. Use both hands and work slowly, keeping the roll nice and tight. Some filling may ooze out and that is OK (and give you something to snitch later.)

When you have the roll finished, pinch the outside edge of the roll to create a seam. You should now have a long log. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices. You should get about 25 rolls.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray and place rolls in the pan. I like to use smaller pans and freeze them. If you want to give cinnamon rolls as a holiday gift, put them in disposable aluminum pans, then they are ready for gift giving!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover the pans with a tea towel and set aside for about 20 minutes. Remove towel and bake for about 15 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Do not overcook! While the rolls are baking, whip up the icing.

Mix the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Icing should be thick but pourable.

When the rolls come out of the oven, pour on the icing. Make sure you cover every last bit of roll. This step is vitally important for the overall happiness of your taste buds.

Put one on a plate, take a deep breath inhaling that decadent cinnamon aroma, and enjoy!

Happy Holiday Entertaining,

Shanna