CINNAMON ROLLS

Do you have to have a reason to make cinnamon rolls? If you do, here's some "reasons" you can use...

-You need to use the extra cinnamon, sugar and butter laying around in your
house before it goes bad

-Cinnamon has been proven to have health benefits...and you're feelin a little
crummy

-Your house smells like dirty diaper, so you need to bake something to freshen
it up

-Its cold outside so a warm, gooey breakfast is in order


BUT, if you're like me, you don't need a reason to make cinnamon rolls, except that you want to make cinnamon rolls....

Cinnamon Roll recipe:

makes 12 rolls
1 C. milk
1 pkg (1/4oz) active dry yeast
1/4 C. Warm water
3 tbls. granulated sugar
2 lrg eggs
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 1/2-5 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt (don't use this if your butter is salted)

Filling
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 C. packed brown sugar
1 tbls.cinnamon (more if you're obsessed like me)
1 tsp vanilla and/or almond extract (I used both cause I didn't use nuts; but gives a good flavor)
1 C. coarsely chopped peacans (I didn't use this because Tyler doesn't like nuts, ANNOYING!)

Glaze
2 C. confectioners sugar
1-3 tbls milk
(my picture has buttercream frosting spread on the rolls because I had that leftover and my frugal ladies at would NOT be happy that I let that go to waste)

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and let stand to room temperature (this was annoying, can anyone tell me why I couldn't just let it sit out and get room temp?)

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Add one tablespoon of the sugar and let stand for about 5 mins until foamy. Beat in the remaining 2 tbls of sugar, eggs and butter. Beat in cooled milk.

Gradually add 4 cups of the flour and the salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface and add the as needed until the dough isn't too sticky. Knead until the dough is smooth and soft.

Grease a large bowl, I just put a piece of parchment paper in the bowl, and place the dough in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.

Coat two 9-inch round baking pans with cooking spray, or use wax or parchment paper.

Mix filling; mix together, both kinds of sugars, vanilla (or almond extract) cinnamon and butter in a medium-sized bowl.

Punch the dough down. Roll out dough on a floured surface to an 18x12in rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, sprinkle nuts. Starting on a long side, roll up (the tighter you roll the more layers you'll get) jelly roll fashion and pinch seams to close.

Cut roll into 12 pieces, they'll be about 1 1/2 in pieces. Arrange 6 rolls, cut side down in each pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30-45 minutes. Keep covered and refrigerate until the next morning, or you can uncover and bake them now.

Bake for 30-40 minutes @ 350 degrees. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix confectioners sugar with 1 tbls. of milk and adding milk as needed to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle over top and SERVE warm! YUM!

If you want to do more of a frosting than a glaze (we like butter sugar and milk in this house) use this AMAZING buttercream frosting recipe from Alice over at www.savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/