Cinnamon Rolls
- Serves: 24
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes
- Total Cooking time: 30 minutes
The dough used in this recipe is a very versatile one that can be used in a variety of different sweet bread recipes such as pannetone or babka, but it is brought to its fullest potential when paired with the cinnamon, raisins and brown sugar to make these wonderful sweet rolls.
Dough Recipe
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | tablespoon | Active dry yeast |
| 1 | teaspoon | salt |
| 1/2 | cup | sugar |
| 3 | large | eggs |
| 1 | teaspoon | vanilla extract (use real vanilla extract and not imitation) |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | grated lemon zest (this is the fragrant yellow layer of the lemon peel) |
| 4 – 5 | cups | all purpose or bread flour |
| 1/2 | cup | butter or margarine, softened |
Cinnamon Roll Filling
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 1/2 | cups | cups brown sugar |
| 2 | cups | raisins |
| 1 | cup | chopped walnuts |
| 2 | tablespoon | Cinnamon |
| 3 | tablespoon | butter, softened |
Cream cheese Icing
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | oz | cream cheese softened |
| 1 | cup | powdered sugar |
| 1 | teaspoon | vanilla extract |
| 1/2 | oz | bourbon, brandy, or orange flavored |
| liqueur (optional) |
- Dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm (approximately 105 degrees) water, add in the salt, sugar, eggs , vanilla, and lemon zest and stir until eggs are well blended in. Add in enough flour to make a soft dough (this is usually around 2 cups or so) then work in the softened butter.
- Pour soft dough out onto a floured table or pastry board and work in remaining flour, kneading by hand 10 minutes or until dough is shiny and very elastic. Form into a large ball and place in a floured bowl and set in a warm well ventilated area or in an oven set to “warm” let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in volume and a finger pressed into the surface produces a small dent that does not spring back.
- Punch dough down and pour out onto a floured surface and , using a rolling pin, roll out until very thin (about 1/8″ thick) at this point it should look like a rectangle about 2 feet long by 1 foot wide. Spread softened butter very generously over the dough surface then sprinkle the ground cinnamon onto the butter.
- Next, spread the brown sugar over the butter-cinnamon mixture then add the walnuts and raisins making sure to cover the dough evenly. Roll dough into a cylinder and then pat lightly to firm up the roll. Cut into 2″ thick rolls and place in a greased 9×13 oven pan.
- Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until rolls are well browned and the dough sounds “hollow” when tapped.
- Remove from oven and blend the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and liquor (you may need to add a little water) in a large bowl and then drizzle generously over the top of the still warm cinnamon rolls.
- Let cool, then serve with a tall glass of cold milk or perhaps a small glass of warm brandy or whiskey.
