What’s for Breakfast? Make Cinnamon Rolls

How often do you get this question? Me, I get it all the time, especially on the weekends. I don’t mind cooking, but coming up with something different isn’t easy. My go to breakfast items, other than cereal, are pancakes, French toast, eggs, and the occasional waffle (but I hate cleaning the waffle iron).

So I did what any good wife, mother, and cook would do. I experimented on my family, and made cinnamon rolls. There are several recipes out there, but I wanted something special, something with my personal touch.

These cinnamon rolls take a little prep time, but they are worth it. I put my freshly rolled cinnamon rolls into a cast iron skillet and pop them in the oven. Then comes the hard part. The waiting. As we patiently (or in my case, not so patiently) wait for the ooey, gooey, sticky confection, I make several trips to the oven, peeking in through the glass window. I watch the cinnamon mixture stuffed inside the yeast dough bubble, and the smell of fresh bread mixed with sweet cinnamon tickles my nose, making my mouth water.

I’m not the only one enticed to the kitchen by the smell. When the smell of fresh baked cinnamon rolls makes its way through the house, my family comes to the kitchen, anxiously awaiting the warm rolls. Naturally, I shoe them out, telling them I will call them when breakfast is ready.

Once the warm, sticky, gooey rolls come out of the oven, I put them on a large platter and top them with cream cheese frosting, a family favorite, but they can also be glazed, your choice.

Hot coffee, or a cold glass of milk make the perfect accompaniment to these warm, melt in your mouth, cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy

Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls
1 cup warm water (105 – 110 degrees)
1 packet yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
4 Tbsp sugar, divided
4 cups bread flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup browned butter, melted (see below)
2 Tbsps sugar
12 – 15 strips crisp bacon

Glaze
1 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1-2 Tbsp corn syrup or maple syrup

Icing
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 oz butter, softened
13 oz (2 2/3 cup) confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
4 Tbsp corn syrup
3 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions
Combine water, yeast, and 2 Tbsp sugar in small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Combine 3 cups flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, and salt in bowl. Whisk together.

In mixer bowl with paddle attached, combine yeast mixture, oil, egg, and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add remaining cup flour, mixing to make soft dough.

Turn dough onto lightly floured countertop. Knead until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let stand in warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down dough, let stand covered 15 minutes.

Lightly grease 10-inch cast iron skillet. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in bowl. (If you wish, you can cook 12 -15 strips of bacon until crisp and sprinkle over filling before rolling and baking). On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 10″x18″ rectangle. Brush with melted browned butter. Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture over top, leaving about a 1 ” border on long side of dough. Tightly roll starting on long side and press edge to seal. Cut into 1 1/2″ slices. (Dental floss works well.) Place in skillet. Cover and let rise in warm place for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake 25-30 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to prevent sticking. Pour glaze over top.

Can either glaze or ice.

Glaze
Whisk together in a bowl and pour over the rolls when done baking.

Icing
Mix all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour over the cinnamon rolls and leave to cool and set a little.