Cinnamon rolls are a favorite at our house and this is one of our favorite cinnamon roll recipes.
Fall is definitely in the air here in Portland. It seems like I was just saying summer had just arrived. Actually, I was. It was a short summer. I do love Fall though and I was actually excited to pull out the sweaters, scarves and boots this weekend. Nothing says Fall better to me than apples, cinnamon and caramel. So this week I am going to feature recipes that have either apples, cinnamon or caramel or a combination of the three!
This past weekend we enjoyed two days of inspiration and motivation as we listened to our church’s annual General Conference. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you’d like to know about what I believe and why I am a Mormon you can go here.
General Conference happens twice a year and it means we get to stay home, in our jammies and watch Conference on the TV instead of attending our regular meetings. It is one of my favorite weekends of the year. I always learn so much and am inspired to be a better person and daughter of my Heavenly Father.
It is a family tradition to have cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate during the Sunday morning session.
I tried to deviate from that one year and boy did I get in trouble! My kids are sticklers for tradition. This year it was only Jim and I so I probably could have gotten away without the cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate but maintaining family traditions like that helps me not to be so sad about being an empty nester. So I made cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate.
This recipe was shared with me several years ago by a friend from church, Beckie. Beckie makes amazing rolls and cinnamon rolls. This recipe uses both dried milk and potato flakes which helps give them a nice light, moist texture. The only draw back to cinnamon rolls is the time it takes to make them but I think after you taste these you will agree that they are worth it. About 2- 2 1/2 hours start to finish.
After the dough rises for an hour you roll it out into a rectangle. (I split the recipe in half for my reduced size family) and then smothered it in butter. The full recipe makes two rectangles and about 32-36 rolls.
Then a nice layer of brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon!
Roll it up nice and tight.
And then slice it into about one inch pieces. Use dental floss or thread to make a nice clean cut. Just wrap it around the dough, cross it over and pull. It will slice right through the dough.
Place them on a parchment covered cookie sheet and then raise for another 30-45 minutes.
And into the oven they go until they are nice and golden brown.
Of course then they must be smoothered in icing. Yum! Please excuse my messy frosting job. My husband was literally standing right next to me, with a spatula in hand waiting to put them onto plates. We were delivering them to some of the families he home teaches and he was ready to go!!
So I did get one pretty picture!
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 3/4 C flour
- 1 C powdered milk
- 1 C instant mashed potato flakes
- 1 C sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 C butter melted
- 3 1/2 C warm water
- 2 Tbsp yeast
- 5-7 1/2 C flour
- 2 Tbsp butter melted for brushing on dough
Filling
- 1/2 C brown sugar
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp cinnamon
Frosting:
- 1/2 C butter softened
- 1 bag of powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- half and half or whipping cream enough for the frosting to be spreading consistency. (Sorry, I didn't measure!)
Instructions
Dough
- Mix together first five dry ingredients.
- Add eggs, butter and warm water. Mix in yeast and 5-7 1/2 C flour.
- Mix until soft and smooth.
- Cover and let rise 1 hour. Divide into 2 pieces.
- Roll each piece out to a 18 x 15 rectangle and brush with melted butter
Filling
- Mix the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon together and then sprinkle over the dough spread with melted butter.
- Roll up each rectangle starting with the long edge.
- Slice and put on parchment covered pan and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool slightly and frost.
Frosting
- Mix together until a desired consistency is found.
- Spread onto rolls.
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Love the tip about the dental floss, I was thinking I had to go buy some fancy string! And your cinnamon rolls are mouthwatering, that last picture makes them look so soft and fluffy. Love it!
It truly is cinnamon roll weather! Cinnamon rolls remind me of the holidays as that was one of the baked items my mom made with her sweet roll dough at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Yum! Your’s look delicious!
These look so good!
Love your conference menu! I too was inspired and uplifted….xxoo
Okay, those sound amazing and not to difficult! Must add to my list of things to try! Today was a day I totally could have used a good cinnamon roll and a cup of hot chocolate, curled up with a good book.
My daughter needed to take cinnamon rolls to school for Student Council gifts and I was excited to try your recipe. I have been using the same recipe for 19 years and may be switchiing to yours. I loved the texture of the dough. So easy to work with. I didn’t have potato flakes but I did have potato pearls. I was sweating it because the pearls didn’t dissolve all the way and so when I was rolling out the dough it looked quite bumpy!! However in the finished product there was no sign of the pearls, just a delicious moist roll! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
It’s good to know about the potato pearls. I had some in my food storage and considered using them but was also worried they wouldn’t dissolve. Good to know they do!! Thanks.
Can I freeze the dough?
I haven’t frozen it but I am sure you can. I would freeze it before the final rise.
These look so wonderful! I love making cinnamon rolls and have been looking for a new recipe. We love to make them for conference too! I think we will add cocoa too! Sounds wonderful! Thank you. Please tell me what size powdered sugar bag you use for the frosting. It seems I never measure when I make frosting and I would love to know exactly how much.
I buy a 2 lb. bag
My mother used to roll these out on a flour dusted pillow case or cotton kitchen towel. She always got a really tight nice roll up. Then she would put them in the freezer for about 15 min and then cut them and rush to get them in the oven.
Oh, my, how special mornings were at my house!
Love the idea of using a dusted pillow case or kitchen towel. I bet mornings were special with fresh cinnamon rolls!
Seriously the best cinnamon roll I have ever had! My search for the best cinnamon recipe is over. This recipe is perfect!!!! My family thanks you for sharing it!
Charlie, I love hearing that!!!