This is a Myrna Ritz Approved recipe. This is the recipe that people most often ask me for when they find out I am her daughter in law. It became “famous” when my husband was young. Their church congregation needed money to fund a new building. Many of the women, men and teenagers got together and ran a cinnamon roll booth at the Oregon State Fair using this recipe for the dough. This fundraiser, along with others, paid for their church building which still stands today.
I have used this dough to make Orange Swirls most often, but also Cinnamon Rolls and Dinner Rolls. Every year when we get our first snow dump I immediately crave Orange Swirls. If snow is coming I buy oranges. Myrna calls them Orange Swirls because they are different from her Orange Rolls.
The original dough recipe makes A LOT! I have cut it in half which is enough for 2 – 9×13 dishes of rolls. It makes the BEST and SOFTEST rolls.
First, I use a whisk to blend the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. I then heat the milk in a glass measuring cup in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. I test with my finger tip. It needs to feel like a warm bath. Not too hot or it will kill the yeast. Not to cool, or it won’t activate the yeast
Slowly pour the warmed milk into the sugar and yeast. I slowly stir with the whisk to help the sugar dissolve and the yeast to activate.
Next add the eggs, and a couple cups of flour. Use a dough hook on the stand mixer till the mix starts to look blended. Fully mix in the oil next.
Add in more flour, 1-2 cups at a time, mixing fully in before adding more. Aso add in the salt and dough enhancer if you desired.
Continue mixing with dough hook till it is soft, but not sticky to the touch.
Lightly grease or spray with oil a large mixing bowl. Place dough down in bowl, then flip over, so all sides get a little greased. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm dry spot for about an hour, till doubled in size.
Next, roll out and bake according to your heart’s content, or according to the recipe you are using.
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.