Homemade Cinnamon Rolls- Step by Step

So today I am making a batch of cinnamon rolls, I want to bring some to the mechanics at my local bike shop. They fixed my bike this week, and I really appreciate how helpful they are!

These rolls are reeeallllly bad for you. But they taste soooooo good. The recipe I use is an adaptation from the Pioneer Woman Cooks recipe.

So here are the ingredients you need for the rolls:

milk, oil, sugar, yeast, flour, baking soda and powder, salt, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar

First you're going to pour 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar into a pan. Stir it, then heat it to scalding. This is below boiling, when bubbles begin to form around the edges of the pan. Then remove it from the heat and pour it into a mixing bowl.

I did both of those pouring shots one-handed- I know, I know, pretty impressive.......

Let it cool for about 20 or 30 minutes. Then sprinkle in 2 1/4 tsp of yeast (if you're using packets of yeast, this is one packet) Let it sit for a few minutes to soften.

Then mix in 4 cups of flour. The mixture will be lumpy and gross looking:

Now you want to let this set for about an hour. While you're waiting, let me tell you how I set up my counter to roll out the dough. First let me show you my counter:

Isn't is gorgeous? (I am partial, we laid the tile ourselves, and I think it is the most beautiful counter around) :)
With a tile counter, you do NOT want to put the dough right on to the counter, because you will have a doughy mess in your grout, and also, cleaning up flour is just annoying, it makes a paste and turns your sponge into a disgusting gooey mess. So what I do is this:

I tear two long pieces of foil and lay them side by side.

Then I spray them with Pam and sprinkle them with flour. Then when I'm done, the only thing I will have to clean up is the foil :)

Next you're going to take the mixture that has been sitting in the mixing bowl, and add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Just dump them right on top of the dough:

Then mix it together. I like to use a spoonula, which is a thingy that Pampered Chef makes that is a spatula (or a scraper, whatever you call it in your house) that had a cupped part so that it's easier to stir thick things.:

So after you mix the additional stuff in well, dump it out in the middle of your foil:

Then you want to grease your pans so you don't have to grab the can of Pam when your hands are all nasty and doughy. This recipe makes 20 rolls, so I use one 9x13 pan and one 9" cake pan. Spray each of these with Pam. (I used a disposable round pan so that I won't be annoyed when I never get my real pan back from the guys)

Then roll the dough out into a big rectangle. You can use a rolling pin. or a pastry roller which is what I use:

I measured my rectangle so you would have an idea of how big to make it. Mine ended up being about 30"x12". Then you need to melt  1/2 cup (one stick) of butter, and pour/spread it over the rectangle. Over that you are going to sprinkle evenly 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar, then sprinkle a layer of cinnamon over the brown sugar. It will look something like this:



Now you want to make a roll out of the rectangle, so, starting with the long side nearest you, start to roll up the dough:

Once you get the whole thing rolled, pinch the edge to seal it:

Then you need to cut the roll into 20 pieces. What I do is cut it into four pieces first:

Then cut each quarter into 5 pieces. Then you want to put them into your pans, I do 12 in the 9x13 and 8 in the 9"round:

Then let them rise for 30 minutes, then bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or so. I like the edges of mine to be lightly browned.

Now you can just fold up the edges of your foil, then wad it up, and (WOOOOHOOOOO) you have a clean counter!!

While they're baking, you can make up the icing:

Now, this recipe makes a LOT of icing, which I like. The rolls each have plenty of icing in every bite, it makes a thick layer on top. If you like less icing (there's probably something wrong with you) make half.

Here are the things you need to make the icing:

butter, cream cheese, vanilla, whipping cream, salt, powdered sugar

If you don't set out the cream cheese and butter (I didn't because I made these fairly early in the morning) just put them in the microwave for 15 seconds or so to soften them. Then put all the ingredients into the bowl of your mixer; 2 sticks of butter, 2 ounces of cream cheese, 4 Tb whipping cream, 3 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla,  and 2 healthy pinches of salt:

Then you want to beat it until it lightens up in color and it is fluffy. This will take a couple of minutes, and then it will look like this:

When the rolls come out of the oven let them sit for a minute or two, then plop some icing on and spread it all over so it can get nice and melty and delicious. I like to make the two pans of rolls, because I usually give the second pan to a neighbor or a friend :) Or you could eat both pans yourself. That would be nice too. (you see why I have to run so much....)

Happy baking!!