Whether you crave dessert or a sweet breakfast, you have to try these cinnamon rolls. They are very decadent but during the holiday season, it’s a very sweet treat.

If you are like my family, during the holidays we are all back together at home.  This year, over 10 people were staying in our house for the week…which means there were a lot of mouths to feed! 

My mom had been wanting to try this recipe.  It is by Ree Drummond, a woman who has a cooking blog “The Pioneer Woman Cooks" and appeared on the Today’s Show this past December. Drummond said these cinnamon rolls are one of her most treasured recipes and descibed them as being equal parts bread and icing (which is poured liberally over the warm, just-baked rolls)…and having obscene goeyness. Well…She is right.  

 This cinnamon roll recipe makes a lot of rolls (40-50 rolls!) so we chilled half of the dough to make at a later time. The dough can also be frozen in the pan, unbaked. When you are ready to bake, allow them to thaw and rise before baking.

These cinnamon rolls are very sweet and filled with cinnamon and sugar and very soft in the middle. They are great right when they come out of the oven and are also just as good at room temperature the next day.  With a hint of maple, the sweet icing keeps the rolls soft.

Cinnamon rolls may seem difficult, but once you read over the steps, it’s all quite simple….and definitey worth it.  Whoever you make these for will love you forever.

CINNAMON ROLLS

Dough:

• 4 cups milk (2%)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 packages (4 ½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 9 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
• 1 heaping tablespoon salt

Filling:

• 2 cups melted butter  (plus more as needed)
• ¼ cup ground cinnamon for sprinkling
• 2 cups sugar, plus more as needed
• Optional fillings: Raisins, nuts, crasins, etc…

Maple Icing:

• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• ½ cup milk (2% or whole), more if needed for thinning the icing
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter, melted
• ¼ cup strongly brewed coffee
• Dash of Salt
• 1 tablespoon maple flavoring or maple extract

- For the Dough:  Scald (heat) the milk, oil and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Do not allow mixture to boil. Set aside and cool to lukewarm.  (105-115 degrees)

- Sprinkle the yeast oin top and let sit on the milk for 1 minute.

- Add 8 cups of the flour, Stir until just combined, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. 

- Add additional 1 cup flour, along with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine and use dough immediately or refrigerate, covered, overnight.

- To Assemble Rolls: Remove half the dough from the pan. On a floured baking surface, split that half into two parts. Roll each part into a rectangle that is about 15 x 10 inches.

- To Make the Filling: pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the melted butter over both rectangle surfaces. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly over the dough.  (The recipe said to spread 1 cup of butter, but with ours, we only needed about ¾ cup)

- Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of sugar over the butter. It may seem like you are adding a lot of cinnamon/sugar and butter but do not worry you aren’t, and you can add as much as you would like.  It will make the rolls very goey and sweet.  You can also add raisins or nuts (chopped pecans).

- Beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly toward you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll right. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work, that just means the rolls will be divine. :)  Do the same to the other rectangle.

- When you reach the end, pinch the seam together.  Transfer to a cutting board and with a knife, slice 1 ½ inch slices. The two logs will make 20-25 rolls. (Repeat process to other half of the dough). - Place the sliced rolls in a buttered baking pan, careful not to overcrowd. Cover with a kitchen towl and let set for 20 minutes before baking. Remove towel and bake for 13-17 minutes (don’t allow rolls to become overly brown).  While rolls are baking, make the icing.

- For the Icing:  Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee and salt. Add the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth and add more milk if it is too thick.  It should be thick but pourable.

-When rolls are done, take them out of the oven and generously drizzle the icing over the top.