Best Grandma Ferrantes Cinnamon Rolls Recipes

GRANDMA'S FAMOUS CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• In medium bowl add milk, water and shortening. Heat in the microwave or on stove until warm (I usually go about 2 minutes, 30 seconds but each microwave is different and you don't want it hot enough to kill the yeast, just very warm). In the bowl of your Kitchen Aid mixer or large mixing bowl (if stirring by hand), combine yeast, sugar, 3 cups of flour and salt. Add warm liquid mix to this dry mixture and combine until smooth. Allow this to sit for 5 minutes (covered with a clean dish towel) to allow yeast to activate. You should see a few bubbles after 5 minutes. Add in remaining 4 cups of flour and mix well. You want the dough to be smooth and elastic as this will develop the gluten. I usually add a dough hook attachment for the last cup of four so it can do a bit of kneading/stretching for me. After all flour is added, allow the mixer to stretch the dough for 5-7 minutes and make sure that everything is incorporated smoothly.Pour dough into a large pre-greased bowl (I just spray it with non-stick spray or use shortening). Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour. Dough should double in size. Sprinkle counter top with flour and dump out risen dough. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and very lightly (without mashing the dough down and allowing it to keep its bubbly structure), gently roll into a rectangular shape approximately 16x20)Spread room temperature butter over your rectangle (make sure the butter is not melted!). Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Tightly roll the dough up (starting with the long side and rolling away from you) and form into a roughly 19" long roll. You can pat the roll and shape it slightly so its even from end to end. Use dental floss to slide under the roll and bring the strings up and around to make a slice. This works much better than a knife so you don't smash the dough. Cut the roll into 12 even slices (I always cut in half and then into fourths so I can cut each section into 3 rolls to help with even cutting). Spray sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a flour sack towel and allow to rise 30 minutes.Preheat your oven to 350 F and bake for 25-30 or until rolls are golden brown.Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow rolls to cool for 10-15 minutes before frosting.

GRAMMA'S OLD-FASHIONED CINNAMON SWEET ROLLS

Steps:

• In a liquid measuring cup, heat milk/water to "wrist-warm" (do NOT boil; just warm).
• Add yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar (you'll use the rest in the next step). Stir the yeast and sugar; let this "work" for about 5 or 10 minutes. You should have some bubbly, frothy stuff in the cup when you return. (If not--your yeast is no good, dump it out and get better yeast.).
• Pour yeast-milk into mixing bowl, and add remaining sugar, butter, eggs, salt and 1 cup of the flour. Using beater, mix this mess for about a minute.
• Switch to the paddle (flat beater) or a dough hook, and add remaining flour one cup-at-a-time. The dough will form a ball, and feel slightly sticky. You may not need the entire 5 1/2 cups (depends on humidity, too).
• Fill medium glass bowl with hottest tap water. If your oven can be adjusted to 100 degrees, set it to 100 degrees. Also, if your oven has a light, turn it on; place the hot water on the bottom of the oven. Close the door.
• Grease a large, glass bowl. Remove dough from mixing bowl to a floured table/counter-top; knead for 1 minute; form into a ball and place in greased bowl, turning to get grease on all sides. Cover bowl loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Turn off 100 degree oven, place bowl of dough into oven; close the door. Set the timer for 1 hour.
• Clean up the mess BUT leave floured counter-top AS IS.
• At the end of one hour the dough should've risen to about double the size. If not, let it go for another 15 minutes (set the timer--it's easy to forget---out of sight, out of mind!).
• Gather filling ingredients: 1/4 cup of melted butter; cinnamon; brown sugar; raisins and/or chopped nuts (optional).
• Punch down the down; remove from bowl; with a large butcher knife, cut dough into two equal parts. Set one aside (cover with plastic wrap).
• Grease two 13x9-inch pans with BUTTER (no substitutes are allowed -- this is GRAMMA's recipe). :-) humor me, okay?.
• On floured counter-top, lay dough and with a rolling pin, shape & roll into large rectangle, oh about 8 x 16 inches or a bit larger, keep thickness consistent throughout.
• Pour HALF of the melted butter over this, and spread with a pastry brush, right out to the edges. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon (like 1-2 tablespoons), then a handful of brown sugar, spreading it evenly with fingers; right to the edges!
• Sprinkle some raisins and chopped nuts -- if using. Keep these closer to the long side closest to you.
• HERE's THE HARD PART: Starting at the side closest to you, LOOSELY roll away from you. Loosely is the KEY word. Tuck in any runaway raisins or nuts.
• Use that big knife to divide the roll in half in the middle. Then cut each half into SIX equal portions, for a total of 12 rolls.
• Starting in the middle of the roll (nicest shaped rolls) and working to the sloppy outside roll piecs, set them along the outside edges of the buttered pan, spacing evenly in the pan. Put the two end rolls in the very center of the pan. Set the cut side DOWN (so the top looks flat-ish). Set this pan on the stove for now.
• Repeat with remaining dough; vary the ingredients -- if you skipped raisins or nuts, maybe add some to this pan of rolls.
• Check if the water in the oven is still warm, if not dump out and start with fresh hot water. Put plastic wrap on both pans (re-use the other piece), and pop in the warm oven. Set the timer for 45 minutes. Go do something productive---clean the counter-top before all that stuff gets hard! :-D.
• When the rolls have risen to the top of the pan (or a smidgen over), remove them from the oven, preheat oven to 350. When it's warm bake them for 20 minutes; tops will be golden brown.
• Cool on a rack; then frost with a cream cheese/butter cream frosting (slather it on thick like Gramma does for the grandkids!).
• You have JUST entered the Pearly Gates!

BEST CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm milk. In another bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Punch down dough; divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion into an 11x8-in. rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 8 slices; place in a greased 13x9-in. pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°., Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks., For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until blended; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over tops. Refrigerate leftovers.

GRANDMA'S BEST CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Directions To make dough: Measure all dough ingredients into bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer.
• Process on dough/manual cycle.
• To shape and fill: When cycle is complete, remove dough to floured surface.
• If necessary, knead in additional flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Roll dough to 18 x 8 inches; brush with melted butter.
• Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins, if desired, to within 1/2 inch of edges.
• Roll up tightly from long side, pinching seam to seal; cut into 9 equal pieces.
• Place, cut sides up, in greased 8 x 8-inch pan.
• Cover; let rise in warm place 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
• Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and softened butter with fork until blended; stir in honey until smooth.
• Drizzle or spread on rolls.

GRANDMA'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix sugar and water together.
• Sprinkle with yeast.
• Let stand 10-15 minutes or until dissolved.
• Add flour, salt, sour cream, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons sugar.
• Make into soft dough.
• Roll out on floured surface, to within 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Brush dough with melted butter.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (that has been stirred together).
• Roll up, jelly roll fashion, cut into 12 slices.
• Place in greased 9x13 pan.
• Let rise until doubled.
• Bake 350 degrees until lightly browned.
• Ice while warm with 3 tablespoons evaporated milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1 c icing sugar, that has been stirred together well.

GRANDMOM'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Prepare dough: Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just about to boil, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, and salt; remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
• While the milk mixture is cooling, sprinkle yeast over water and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Pour lukewarm milk mixture into a bowl; add 1 cup flour and beat well. Beat in yeast mixture and egg. Gradually beat in remaining 2 1/2 cups flour. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Test by pressing a finger into the dough; a fingerprint should stay.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch square baking pans.
• Prepare filling: Mix sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and divide in half. Roll one piece into a 16x8-inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 of the filling over top. Start at the long edge of the rectangle and roll up as for a jelly roll. Cut into eight 1-inch slices and place cut-sides down into one prepared baking pan. Repeat with remaining rectangle.
• Bake in the oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare frosting by mixing confectioners' sugar and water together in a bowl.
• Remove rolls from the oven. Transfer to a large serving plate and spread frosting over top.

THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Whisk together the whole milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit 10 minutes to dissolve; you will see a few bubbles, but the mixture won't be foamy. Whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt in a small bowl.
• Add the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, milk powder and beaten eggs to the yeast and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Fit the bowl in place on the stand mixer and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together but is still slightly tough, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to high and add 10 tablespoons of the butter a tablespoon at a time (the dough will look broken after each addition, but it will eventually come together) and beat until the dough is smooth, elastic and very tacky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 12 minutes. (This may seem like a long time, but the texture of the bread improves with a long knead time.) Alternatively, knead the dough on a surface lightly dusted with bread flour, adding 1 tablespoon of butter at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until it has a buttery, yeasty smell and has doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes. (If your kitchen is warm, check it at 35 minutes. It should smell buttery and yeasty, and if it's doubled, it's done. If not, check again in 10 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, whisk together the dark brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl until no lumps of sugar remain. Smash in the remaining 12 tablespoons butter with a rubber spatula and stir until completely combined.
• Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a clean work surface and heavily dust with bread flour. Gently deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall back into the bowl, turning the bowl and repeating if needed. Place the dough on the paper. Roll the dough into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle, pushing the edges towards the center to make straight sides. Spread the brown sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Starting from a long end and using the parchment to help you, tightly roll the dough into a log, pressing the sides occasionally to keep them flush. Transfer to a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes to firm up the dough.
• Butter the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Cut the dough crosswise into 12 pieces and arrange them cut-side up in the pan in a uniform 3-by-4 grid. There will be about 1/4 inch between each roll and that's ok, the rolls will fill in the gaps as they proof and bake. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free area, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cinnamon rolls until golden brown on top and baked all the way through, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes before glazing.
• Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth and creamy, adding more cream if necessary to make a thick glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon rolls and serve warm.

GRANDMA FERRANTE'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine yeast, water, and sugar in a small bowl. Put butter in hot milk and let melt. Add yeast mixture to milk plus 1/4 tsp. almond or vanilla extract.
• Mix eggs sugar and salt and mix with the liquid ingredients.
• Add flour to liq. ingredients and mix completely. put into a buttered bowl and cover and let rise for approx. 1 hour
• Roll out on floured surface into a rectangle. Brush butter on to dough and then cover with brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Roll up and slice into rolls. Place on a cookie sheet and let rise again for about 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min. Let cool and frost with powdered sugar frosting.