#2,716: Easy Cinnamon Rolls

For several weeks now, Chloe has been talking about making cinnamon rolls at home.  I am a huge avoider or any recipe that calls with yeast.  I'm so bad at strictly following a recipe (I made substituteions, additions, changes all the time), taht it makes me a bad baker.  I've NEVER had luck with getting dough to rise (I'm still not convinced this dough rose at all either).  I made these with very low expectations.  I told my family they could try them after they cooled a little bit....these never even made it to breakfast!  It ended up being a dessert instead!  I'm not saying they are the world's best cinnamon rolls, but for this crew, it got 2 thumbs up from everyone!  A few may have been fighting to lick the bottom of the empty pan too! 

By the way, did you know the trick about cutting the cinnamon rolls with a piece of unscented dental floss instead of a knife?!?!  I had no idea, but this worked amazingly well!  I will never cut any sort of dough with a knife again!  The video below is one I found on Youtube (I take no credit for this great video, I'm just sharing their wonderful tip/trick).  

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package instant yeast (1 packet or 2 and ¼ teaspoons)

½ cup water

¼ cup milk

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg

Filling:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup brown sugar (I used about 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the 2 tbsp of cinnamon)

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 Tablespoons milk 

To Make dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed. Set aside. 

In a small microwavable bowl, heat the water, milk, and butter together in the microwave until the butter is melted. Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and knead with hand or with stand mixer for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticky. Place in a lightly greased bowl and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and turn off after 10 minutes or just before placing rolls in oven.

To Make Filling: After the dough has rested for 5 minutes, roll it out in a 15x9 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough tightly and cut into 9 (large) even pieces. 

Place in a lightly greased 9-inch or square pan and lightly cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

TURN OFF the oven and place the cinnamon rolls in the oven to rise for 20 minutes. Keep the cinnamon rolls in the oven (REMOVE THE FOIL OR PLASTIC) and turn on the oven to 375F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and top with glaze.

To make glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 Tablespoons milk together until smooth and lump free. Drizzle over warm rolls.