These Aren't Your Average Cinnamon Rolls....

Cinnamon Rolls 

(Grandma Carlson's Finest)

Cooking Time: 60 Minutes; Yields 12 People

Ingredients 

Dough

2 c. warm water
1/3 c. sugar
1 T salt
2 pkg yeast (1 pkg yeast = 2 and 1/2 tsp)
2 c. bread flour
2 eggs
1/3 c. butter; room temperature
3 and 1/2 c. bread flour

Cinnamon Center

4 T sugar
2 T cinnamon
1/4 c. butter; melted

Cooking Instructions

Dough

1. Lets start out by pre heating our ovens to 350 degrees F

2. Beat together the first 5 ingredients for 2 minutes (warm water, sugar, salt, yeast, and bread flour)

3. Add your eggs and the room temperature butter to the batter; beat for 1 minute 

4. Finally add the extra 3 and 1/2 c. of bread flour to the batter; one cup at a time otherwise flour will be everywhere.  Also, if the batter starts to get too stiff for your mixer you might have to combine the dough by hand.  I normally use my kitchen aid mixer, and it handles the dough without any issues.

5. Once the dough has formed you will need to grease (use butter) a large mixing bowl.  This allows the dough to rise without getting stuck to the side of the bowl.  It also allows you to remove the dough without complications later, IT MAKES LIFE MUCH EASIER.  Make sure the bowl is large enough for the dough to double in size while rising.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it hang out until it doubles in size.
***TIP: Don't place your bowl/dough in a cold area, make sure it's in a warm location otherwise your dough won't rise.

6. Now that your dough has doubled in size lets flour our countertop and rolling pin (again this is used to prevent the dough from sticking) and get ready to roll out our dough.

7. Roll your dough into a rectangular shape.  Once it is rolled out, its times to make the best part of any good cinnamon roll.

Cinnamon Center
1.  Melt your butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds and remove.  Find a pastry brush to brush all the melted butter over the rolled out dough

2.  In a separate bowl combine your cinnamon and sugar.  Sprinkle this mixture over the melted butter.  
***TIP: You can't really over do the cinnamon sugar, but if you don't put enough on it you will notice once they have baked.  Load that baby up!!!

3.  Now lets roll the dough up like a jelly roll and slice into cinnamon rolls.  Either use a super sharp knife to cut the dough or a bench scraper.  (A bench scraper is the item Rachel Ray uses to scoop up her chopped food, if anyone watches food network). There is a link to this item at the bottom of the page if you want to buy one, I use mine ALL the time ($10.00)!
***TIP: Roll into a shorter fat log vs a long skinny log
***TIP: I always find the middle of my dough and make a mark so I cut my rolls evenly.  Then make two more marks on each half allowing there to be six total cinnamon rolls.  I'm super visual so this helps me!

4. Find a 9x13 baking pan.  Butter and flour the pan.  This will allow your cinnamon rolls to bake and not stick to your pan.

5.  Place your freshly cut cinnamon rolls into the floured pan and cover with plastic wrap.  Let them sit for 15-20 minutes or until they double in size again.

6.  After the rolls have doubled in size, bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.  I always set my timer for 10 minutes and rotate the pan, and then cook an additional 10 minutes.  You know your rolls are done when the cops have browned up.

7.  Top with your favorite butter cream frosting, or check out my favorite butter cream frosting with this link.  http://bit.ly/2gv5O5j

8.  Enjoy!!!