Classic Cinnamon Rolls
Well, here we are, Monday! I have to say that I feel pretty ready to take on this week. I’m anxious to see what this week of work brings but also excited because we had a down-right awesome weekend.
On Friday Paul and I hosted a cookout at our house with some new friends. The weather, the food and the people were all fabulous. I underestimated the amount of energy that an event like that can bring. On Saturday we got to spend the day together, roamed around town, and enjoyed some patio time at a local brewery. Once again, I felt so energized by just being out and about in the spring sun! Sunday we got to worship together, celebrated some graduates and had the opportunity to take a scenic walk through our neighborhood. Definitely energized for this week!
And Monday can always be celebrated when we are talking about cinnamon rolls!
I have mentioned a time or two that cinnamon-sugar is one of my favorite flavor combinations. And there is not a thing in this world that takes me back to my childhood in my great-grandmother’s kitchen more than cinnamon rolls. Classic buttery, ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls, straight from the oven – nothing is better!
These cinnamon rolls are incredibly easy and the best part is that they are completely done within a couple of hours of starting the process – so say goodbye to your mother’s multi-day recipe! They are very simple and straight-forward and the recipe could easily be doubled for a large gathering. I took these to a “breakfast for dinner” gathering with some of my small group ladies and definitely came home with an empty pan!
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Classic Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: 12 rolls
Total Time: 2 hours
A quick recipe for yeast cinnamon rolls with a classic vanilla icing.
Ingredients:
for the dough:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast (I use Red Star Platinum)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 eggfilling:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. ground cinnamonicing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbs. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of saltDirections:
Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in butter; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; whisk together. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well with an electric mixer. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, using a wooden spoon to stir well after each addition. (dough will be too thick and sticky to use the mixers at this point.)
When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. (dough will spring back when lightly pressed.)
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, brown your butter by placing it in a small microwave safe glass bowl or container. Cover it with a saucer or other well-fitted cover and microwave for 3-5 minutes. Butter will melt, pop and then turn brown. (you can also do this over the stove-top, but I find the microwave method pretty easy.) While butter cools slightly, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. (use your 9x13 baking dish as a guide.) Using a pastry brush- slather the dough with most of the brown butter. (It will feel like a lot, but use most of it.) Sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar mixture and press in lightly so it doesn't fall out when you roll it. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with remaining brown butter. Cover and let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Let cool for about 10 minutes. While the rolls cool, mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Adjust the milk or powdered sugar amounts to reach the desired consistency. Spread the frosting evenly over the slightly-cooled cinnamon rolls and serve warm.
Adapted from All Recipes
If you are a cinnamon-sugar fan like me, check out my Cinnamon-Sugar board on Pinterest.
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These look AMAZING Cassie!! I cant wait to try them… just hope I am strong enough to share! 🙂
I never thought we’d both post cinnamon roll recipes the same week – haha. So glad you had a great time with friends this weekend!!
These are so perfect, Cassie! Love them!
I think I could eat cinnamon rolls everyday. Especially when they look like this!
It’s a crime that I’ve never made cinnamon rolls from scratch. I’ve made quick sticky buns with puff pastry, but no yeast. I’ve got to tackle this! Your recipe looks awesome! 🙂
I’m a sucker for homemade rolls! These look amazing girl!
Cassie they are stunning and PERFECT! Pinned!
I wish I could have one right now. And love that they’re ‘not your mother’s multi-day recipe’ 🙂
These look just perfect. Classic and extraordinary.
Such great pictures, Cassie!! These look wonderful! I too am a cinnamon-sugar fan! Wish I had a big one of these this morning 🙂 Happy Monday!
These sound AMAZING! So glad that you had such a great weekend — sounds perfect!
Classic, and yours are beautiful!!!
Sounds like a fun weekend! And these rolls look SO good. Sometimes a class is the best. 🙂
I could eat a cinnamon roll every day! These sound lovely!
No better way to start your week than with cinnamon rolls! Yum!
Cassie these are so perfect!! I need to make these for my family. They will go crazy nuts over them!
Love me a good refreshing weekend — and a whole pan of classic cinnamon rolls. 🙂 YUM!
These look soooo good Cassie, one of my true favorites 🙂
Those look so perfect! I love cinnamon rolls. Never can wrong with them!
One of my general rules is “always double the cinnamon” HA! Love cinnamon/sugar. And one of these days I will conquer my fear of yeast. Lol. These look so gooood!
You can’t go wrong with a few of these on a Monday.
Cinnamon rolls are one of my most favorite things of all time!! These look absolutely perfect!!
Whatever I eventually eat for breakfast is going to pale in comparison to these AMAZING looking cinnamon rolls!
Dang how I DO love me a good cinnamon roll….mmm MM mm MMMM! with coffee please.
Love a good cinnamon roll! Glad you had a good weekend.
Your classic cinnamon rolls look like the best ever cinnamon rolls to me! Hope you had a marvelous weekend and here’s to starting the week with ooey gooey lovely cinnamon rolls!
There’s nothing like a straight up, classic cinnamon roll. I love that these won’t take me all the live long day too!
Nothing brightens my early mornings like a good ole cinnamon roll, Cassie. They look truly wonderful. I want breakfast #2 now. And these on the menu, please 😉
I could definitely celebrate Monday with these bad boys! I’m glad you had a wonderful, relaxing weekend!
You can’t go wrong with classic cinnamon rolls, these look fab!
Cinnamon rolls that take multiple steps are not my kind of recipe so I am glad these only take 2 hours. Yay for cinnamon rolls!
I was just thinking the other day, “I wonder how Cassie’s doing back at work?” Glad you’re enjoying the new town, seems like a great place. And these cinnamon rolls!! They look fantastic!
Sounds like you guys had a perfect weekend punctuated, I hope, with lots of cinnamon rolls!
Cinnamon rolls are the best kind of breakfast, especially the homemade ones!
I love love love classic cinnamon rolls, and yours look perfect! I also love the joy and positivity in your post!
It sounds as though you had a fantastic weekend. And I have to say that these cinnamon rolls make any Monday look sweeter.
Glad you had such a nice weekend! Those cinnamon rolls look amazing. I think they would be perfect for a Memorial Day weekend breakfast! Bookmarking! 🙂
These look great, Cassie!
Aww your weekend sounds excellent! time in the sun with good friends always does a body good! And what a way to kick off Monday! These cinnamon rolls look amazing!
Cinnamon sugar is one of my favorites as well. These look perfect Cassie!
Cinnamon rolls totally make me think of my grandma’s kitchen too. We used to get them for dinners at her house too – very little else was ever eaten at those meals! Sounds like a great weekend, Cassie!
Cassie, I’ve been thinking about cinnamon rolls all week! These look so pretty and perfect and delicious!!!
Sounds like you had an amazing weekend! These cinnamon rolls look incredible! I love how quickly they come together.
What a fun-filled weekend. And these cinnamon rolls – YES! I’ve only made them once before (sans yeast) but I really want to give this version a try!
I think that any day of the week would be much better if it started with one (or two) of these!
I will definitely be heading over to Pinterest now to check out your Cinnamon-Sugar Board! These look perfect Cassie!
I adore the smell of cinnamon rolls filling my home 🙂 these look wonderful!
Pretty pretty pics!
I have never made cinnamon rolls, but I love eating them!! I guess I might be too scared that I would eat the whole pan! these look perfect!
I think there must be very few things in the world that smell as good as freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Yum!