Heartland Cinnamon Rolls

My Favorite Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Heartland Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

¼ cup granulated sugar

1½ cups warm water

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp salt

1 cup milk, warmed to about 100F

up to 7 cups a.p. flour, but you’ll need less  (Hudson Cream Flour is the best)

Filling:

2 Tbsp softened butter

2 Tbsp milk

¾ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

to taste – ground cinnamon (I use about 2 Tbsp fresh ground for best flavor)

[a note on cinnamon – you can grind cinnamon sticks in a coffee grinder to get amazing fresh ground cinnamon, try it.]

Frosting:

¼ cup softened butter

½ tsp vanilla extract

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

Make the Dough

In a small bowl, combine the first measure of sugar, the warm water and the yeast.  Stir briefly, set aside to proof.

In a mixing bowl (best done in the bowl of a standing mixer if you have one, but can be done by hand) combine the vegetable oil, the second measure of sugar, and the salt.  Then add the yeast mixture and milk.  Add 2 or 3 cups of flour and mix to blend the ingredients.  Start adding more flour.  Start by adding enough more flour that you have about 5 cups in the bowl.  Mix well and start adding more flour about a third of a cup at a time until you have achieved a moist, smooth, pliable dough.  How much more you add will depend on the brand of flour you use and the humidity where you are making the dough.  Resist the temptation to add too much flour.  I find the ideal is to get the dough to where you think one more addition of a quarter-cup will make it perfect and stop before actually doing so.   The dough should feel somewhat sticky. [I find it usually takes me just about 6 cups of flour to make a nice dough.] When all the flour has been incorporated, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few quick times to make the dough smooth.  Return it to the mixing bowl and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.  Clean up your mess while the dough rests.

Take the rested dough and cut it into 2 pieces.  Roll out the pieces on a lightly floured work surface.  You want to wind up with rectangles of dough that are about 9 x 13 and is about a third to a half-of-an-inch thick. 

Filling the Dough

Use a pastry brush and spread the softened butter all over the rolled out dough.  Drizzle the milk over the dough and smear it around with the pastry brush.  Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the dough and repeat with the granulated sugar.  Then sprinkle with the cinnamon. 

Roll up the dough starting at one of the 13-inch sides, so you have a cylinder that is 13 inches long.  Place seam side down on the work surface and slice.  You can slice as many as 12 or 14 rolls out of this, but I cut it into 9 slices and have big puffy rolls.  [9 rolls fit nicely into a 10 x 13 baking dish.] 

Place the rolls into a well-greased baking dish, cover and let rise until they fill the pan, 1 to 2 hours.  Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 25 - 35 minutes, you want a well-browned roll but is not over-cooked. 

Frosting

Mix the butter, vanilla, confectioners sugar and milk in a bowl until you have a smooth creamy frosting.  Spread over the cooled rolls.

[This recipe is adapted from the Wheatland Café in Hudson, Kansas.  Hudson is home of the Stafford County Flour Mill, makers of Hudson Cream Flour, and a truly superior flour for making yeasted baked goods like these rolls.  Have your friends in Kansas smuggle you back a bag next time they drive out.]