I’ve been having some fun in the kitchen.
A few weeks ago, I had a craving for cinnamon rolls. Not the store-bought kind and not the kind in a tube. A real, delicious, still-warm-from-the-oven homemade cinnamon roll. Like a nerd, I conducted a lot of research. I read through numerous recipes trying to find the right one. I wanted a recipe that was simple and easy (read: not too much futzing with a double rise). I also wanted a roll where the dough portion didn’t get all dry and starchy after it cooled. Lastly, the cinnamon and sugar part in the middle had be plentiful. The one I settled on is a popular one by the Pioneer Woman. I made them and they hit the spot. Real, delicious, homemade and amazing right from the oven.
Even before I finished my roll I had researched extensively for, I started to think of ways to mess with the recipe.
I imagined three versions: one with cut strawberries tucked in the spiral, one with dark chocolate and, for MJ, one with cashews. I kept the ‘integrity’ of the cinnamon roll filling – butter, cinnamon and sugar – and added in the extra bits. Not too complicated. And it’s easy to remember. And I can confirm – they are delicious.
And a cinnamon roll is incomplete without frosting. At one point in my life, I thought frosting was the best part of the roll. I would grumble when there was not enough. The desired frosting to dough ratio was heavy on the frosting. Nowadays, I’m not as excited about it. Don’t get me wrong. It’s nice. But definitely not the star of the show. For my rolls, I made a simple butter/powdered sugar/milk mix, with enough milk to keep it from being too thick. For the cashew rolls, I made an easy caramel frosting using a bit of brown sugar.
And they all lived happily ever after.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 pkg yeast
- 4 cups flour (plus 1/2 cup extra flour)
- 1/2 tsp (heaping) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (scant) baking soda
- 1/2 Tbsp (heaping) salt
- melted butter (1/8 cup)
- sugar (1/8 cup)
- cinnamon, enough to cover
- cashews
- cut strawberries
- dark chocolate chips
- 1/8 cup melted butter
- powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla
- 1/8 cup butter
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- powdered sugar
- milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the milk, vegetable oil and sugar over medium heat to just below a boil.
- Allow to cool to warm.
- When the mix is only warm, sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.
- Add in the 4 cups of flour and stir until combined.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
- After an hour, add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and extra 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Use the dough right away or put in the fridge for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.
- Roll out the dough on a flour covered surface. Roll thin. Around 30" x 10".
- Pour on the melted butter and spread to cover the dough surface.
- Sprinkle on the sugar and cinnamon.
- Add optional filler - cashews, strawberries, dark chocolate chips.
- Start rolling the long edge and continue until you are left with one long log. Make sure to firmly press the outer edge to the log to keep the filling from spilling out.
- Prep pans by covering the bottom with some melted butter. Cooking spray is not as effective.
- Cut the log into slices. 1/2 inch thickness is good.
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise at least another 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake at 375F for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Do not over bake.
- Top with frosting while still warm.
- Add enough powdered sugar to the butter to make thick paste.
- Add in a little milk and the vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Continue to add in powdered sugar and milk until you reach the right consistency.
- Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.
- Remove from the microwave and stir together the bubbling mix.
- Add enough powdered sugar to the butter to make thick paste.
- Add in a little milk and the vanilla and mix until smooth.
Love the look of these! Really looking forward to trying them out at the weekend. Yum. Thanks for sharing
Enjoy!!
Yum! These look amazing. I’ve tried PW’s recipe twice…and they didn’t rise well either time. Tasted delicious, but were pretty flat. Any issues with that?
Oh bummer! I did kill the yeast one time but but that was my bad. But the other times, they did rise well.
You forgot the rest of the instructions, such as place the rolls and let them rise again. Bake at what temp and how long????
Got it in there now, Mel! Thanks for the heads up!
i love the variations!