Granny's Cinnamon Rolls

I made homemade bread last week and enjoyed it so much I decided to make rolls yesterday.   I tried a new recipe.  I also wanted them to look like hearts and they do if you really use your imagination.  Rising dough does its own thing.  I’m very happy with this recipe though.  Will take some to mom today and Eddie's tonight.  

1 cup warm water      

2 pkg. active dry yeast (2 tsp.)          

1 cup warm milk

1 tsp. granulated sugar + 2/3 cup sugar

1 ½ + ¼ cup brown sugar

2 tsp. salt

2/3 + ½ + ½ + 2/3 cups melted butter

2 eggs

7 to 8 cups flour        

3 tbs. cinnamon

Walnuts (Optional)   

Frosting/Glaze

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 stick of butter         

Hot water       

In a small bowl mix together warm water (not too hot or you will kill the yeast - 110° maximum), yeast, and 1 tsp. sugar and set aside to double in size. In another bowl, mix warm milk (again not too hot or you will kill the yeast – 110°), 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs, stir well and add to yeast mixture.  Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff (dough will be sticky). Turn onto well floured board and knead 5 to 10 minutes or use dough hook and need with mixer (I'm blessed to have a mixer). Place in well buttered bowl, cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until it has doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes.

Since it is winter, it takes longer to rise here in cold Iowa.  I turned on the oven to warm up the kitchen and set it near the stove (not on top of), but it still took 2 hours to rise.

Roll rested dough onto floured surface into a 15 x 20 rectangle.

Spread dough with ½ cup melted butter. Mix together 1 ½ cups of brown sugar and cinnamon, next sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts.  I sprinkled half with nuts and half without.  Some are not nut lover, but I am. 

Roll up into a roll and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices (about 1 inch pieces).   Today I’m trying to make them heart shaped so I’m rolling up on the top and bottom sides to meet in the middle.   Pinch the roll together to look like a heart.

Coat the bottom of a cookie sheet with ½ cup melted butter.  Sprinkle with ¼ cup brown sugar.  Place cinnamon roll slices about an inch apart.  Let them rise in warm place until dough is doubled in size again, about 1 hour (still sat next to stove with oven on to help the rising).

 Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 25 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned. Cool rolls slightly.

Glaze

Mix melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency (you may use milk if you like).  If you make it real runny you can put it in a baggie and cut the tip off and just drizzle it over the rolls.  I made mine more like a frosting and spread it with a knife.  Spread over slightly cooled rolls. Makes 12 to 15 large cinnamon rolls.  I also added a little decoration by sprinkling candy hearts on top.  These are great a little warm.  You can always stick them in the microwave for 15 seconds the next day. 

Since it is for Valentines Day, I’m put a little red food coloring in for a pink glaze/frosting. 

The house smelled awful good with the smell of cinnamon and bread.  It improved my disposition considerably.   Hope you have a great weekend.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.