It’s a snowy day in Denver, Colorado. The kids are all home for Spring Break. A perfect day for Cinnamon Rolls.
Cinnamon Rolls are a big tradition in our family. My mom rarely made them. Her thing was Sticky Buns. My mother-in-law has handed down the cinnamon roll tradition. In fact, often when people find out who I am they ask if I have this recipe. This is my most asked for Myrna recipe, making it Myrna Approved.
Back in the 1980’s this recipe was used for the famous Cinnamon Roll food stand at the Oregon State Fair. The proceeds went to a building fund that helped build the Monmouth, Oregon Stake center for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My husband remembers working at the booth, making cinnamon rolls for long lines on hot August days. We prefer to make them on snowy days!
This dough recipe is the key. I always use I have cut it in half to make two 9×13 pans of rolls. It is very versatile, and can be used for dinner rolls or, my favorite, Orange Swirls. Two dishes of rolls is NOT too much! If you have fewer people in your home, then share the rest with neighbors, family and friends.
Always start off with the BEST DOUGH recipe which is Roll Dough from Myrna’s cookbook.
Prepare two baking dishes by lightly greasing or spraying with oil. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.
Split the dough in half. Roll out the first half in a large rectangle. About 21×16 inches. Spread with butter. Sprinkle and spread evenly half of the sugar and cinnamon over the dough.
Roll up the dough, long wise.
Cut the long dough log into 12 equal pieces. I gently saw back and forth with a small, serrated knife so the dough doesn’t squish. If you roll your dough out on a roll mat, make sure to place a small cutting board underneath where you are cutting, so you do not create cut marks in your mat.
Place the rolls into a prepared dish, cover and let rise for about a half hour.
Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Make the frosting while they cool slightly. Spread the frosting over warm rolls so the icing melts down into all the spaces.
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Classic Roll Dough find recipe on our site
Filling
- 6 Tablespoons butter, soft divided
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons cinnamon, ground
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cut dough in half. Roll out the first half on a clean, dry and lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to approximately 21 inches x 16 inches, in a large rectangle.
- Spread half the butter over the dough.
- In a small mixing bowl blend together with a fork, the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Spread half of the brown sugar mix over the dough.
- Roll up the dough starting on the one of the longer sides.
- Slice the long roll into 12 even slices. Use a serrated knife, gently saw back and forth so you do not squish the dough too much. If you are on a roll mat, make sure and place a small cutting board under where you are cutting so you do not have cut marks on your roll mat.
- Prepare 2 – 9×13 dishes by lightly greasing or spraying with oil. Or just one dish if you have cut the recipe in half.
- Place the rolls in the prepared dish. Cover in a warm, dry place for about 30 minutes to rise.
- Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
- While baking, prepare the frosting by using a mixer to blend the butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese and salt.
- Spread the frosting over warm rolls so it kind of melts down, and goes into all the cracks and spaces
- Once they are fully cooled, cover with plastic wrap to keep fresh for a few days. Reheat 1 at a time in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Basic Roll Dough
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk, on the warmer side of lukewarm
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup canola oil, or other cooking oil
- 1 Tablespoon dough enhancer optional
- 6-7 cups flour
Instructions
- Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove top till a little warmer than lukewarm. Not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar and yeast.
- Slowly stir in the warm milk. Let it sit. You should see little bubbles at the top to show that that the yeast is activating.
- Add in the egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Use a dough hook on the stand mixer to start mixing. Or use a large wooden spoon. Combine till it starts to look the consistency of brownie batter.
- Add in the oil, salt, dough enhancer (optional) and 1 cup of flour at a time. Mixing before adding each cup. I start with 2 cups, then add 1 cup between each mixing to make sure I don't add to much flour.
- Use a dough hook on a mixer or knead on a floured surface to get the last little bit of flour mixed into the dough till it is soft, but not sticky.
- Light grease or spray with oil, a large mixing bowl. Place dough into bowl, then flip over to both sides get little oily. Cover with a towel and set in a warm place till doubled in size. About one hour.
- Punch down, split in half and roll out how you choose. After you have prepped the dough into the kind of rolls you choose, set aside, cover and let sit for about a ½ hour before baking at 400° 15-20 minutes.