Best Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipes

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!

TIM HORTON'S STYLE OLD-FASHIONED CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• In a bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water and add sugar. Let stand 10 minutes, until foamy. Heat milk and 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat until warm, 105F to 115F (butter may not melt completely).
• Mix dissolved yeast, milk mixture, 1/2 cup sugar, and eggs in large bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add 3 cups flour and salt and beat until smooth. Stir in 2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, to make a soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead dough 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed. Place dough in a large greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 hours.
• Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in saucepan. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
• Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly-roll pan. Punch down dough. On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 20 x 14 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. From one long side, roll up jelly-roll style; pinch seam to seal. Cut with a serrated knife into 18 slices, about 1 inch thick. Arrange slices cut side down in prepared pan. Brush remaining melted butter evenly over tops of rolls. Cover with wax paper and let rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350F (180 C). Uncover rolls and bake 22 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan.
• Meanwhile, for the icing, beat powdered sugar and butter in mixer bowl at medium speed until blended. Beat in 3 tablespoons milk, vanilla, and pinch cinnamon until smooth. With a spoon, drizzle icing evenly over tops of rolls.

GRAMMIE BEA'S OLD FASHIONED CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Let the pie crust sit out for 1/2 hours if using the unroll and bake crusts, so they get soft enough to roll up without the crust cracking. (Make homemade pie crust if you are making your own. Roll out thin, just as you would to make a pie crust).
• Melt butter in the microwave for 20 seconds, and brush onto top of pie crusts.
• Mix cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle on top of the butter.
• Roll up crust dough jelly roll style, making into a long log. Crimp the edge of the pie crust so it holds together. (See picture).
• Using a sharp knife cut dough into 3/4" pieces, and place cinnamon side down on a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes until a light golden brown. Take out of oven and let cool for a few minutes, then take off sheet, so they don't stick, and let cool.
• Store in plastic container or Zip-Lock baggie, that is if you have any left!

OLD FASHIONED CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• ROLLS: In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 C flour & yeast. In a saucepan, heat milk, 1/3 C butter, 1/3 sugar & salt just until warm & butter is almost melted. Add to flour mixture; add eggs, 1 at a time until combined. Beat on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl down as needed. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
• On lightly floured surface, knead in enough of the remaing flour to make a soft dough that is smooth & elastic (about 3 - 5 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled in size; about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough. Turn out onto lightly flour surface; divide in 1/2. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Lightly grease 2 9" x 1 1/2" round baking pans. Roll each 1/2 of the dough into a 12" x 8" retangle. Brush with melted butter.
• CINNAMON/SUGAR MIXTURE: Combine sugars & cinnamon; mix well. Sprinkle evenly over both rectangles. Starting from a long side, roll up each rectangle into a sprial log. Seal seams. Cut each sprial into 12 equal slices. Place slices, cut side down, in prepared pans.
• Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap; leaving room for rolls to rise. Chill for 24 hours. Uncover; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• GLAZE: Meanwhile, whisk together cream cheese, butter, sugar, corn syrup, 2 tbsp heavy cream (or more if needed, to desired consistancy) & both extracts until smooth. Drizzle with a spoon over cooled rolls. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Break surface bubbles with toothpick. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool 1 minute. Carefully invert rolls onto wire rack. Cool 2 minutes & invert again onto a serving platter. Drizzle glaze over rolls. Serve warm.

OLD FASHIONED CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water. Pour milk over shortening, sugar and salt, stirring to melt shortening. Cool to lukewarm. Add eggs and 1 cup flour and mix well. Add dissolved yeast and oats. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on floured surface 8 to 10 min. until smooth/elastic. Shape into a ball and place in greased large bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hr or until doubled in size. Punch dough down. Cover. Let rest 10 min. Divide dough in half. Roll each half to form 2 12-inch squares. Brush each square with 1 tblspn melted butter. For filling, combine all ingredients. Sprinkle 1/2 filling onto each square. Roll up and slice each log into 12 1-inch slices. Place in 2 greased 8-inch square baking pans. Cover; let rise 45 min or until doubled in size. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 25-30 min. Immediately invert pans to remove rolls. Ice with thin confectioners sugar glaze, if desired.