A Ginger Mess: Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Okay, so this recipe has some sentimental value to it for me. I grew up with my Mom making homemade cinnamon rolls a few times a year and the aroma of these baking brings back good feelings. My mom is a great baker. She taught me so much about baking from scratch and though it is time consuming, some things are just worth the effort. Here's a recipe I adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook. It does take awhile but is not difficult. You just have to be home for the rising periods.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook

Ingredients:

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp. from the jar)

1 cup very warm milk

1/3 cup butter softened

1 large egg

2 T. butter melted

1/4 c. Granulated sugar

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

2 to 3 tsp. milk

1. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour, 1/3 c. granulated sugar, the salt and yeast. Add warm milk, 1/3 c. butter and the egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

2. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour 30 minutes or until double. Dough is read if indentation remains when touched. I usually use my oven because it's the warmest place, especially when I have the A/C running.

4. Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl the brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon.

5. Punch down dough. Flatten with hands or rolling pin into rectangle, the book says 15x10 inches but I rolled it larger and next time will probably roll it out even more, just because I like the thinner layers in my cinnamon rolls.

6. Melt the 2 T. butter (you may need more, depending on how large an area you have) and using a pastry brush spread all over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

7. Next Roll rectangle up tightly beginning at longer side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Stretch and shape until even. Cut roll into 1 inch slices.