Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons Instant Yeast (rapid rise)
8 cups flour (could be a little more or less)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1/2 cup instant powdered milk
3 eggs
Filling:
1 cube butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
Directions:
Add 4 cups flour and all other ingredients and mix well. Add the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time until dough is soft but not sticky. (Side note: I dissolve my yeast in about half of the water the recipe calls for and then just add the rest of the water to the dough). Divide dough into fourths. Roll each section out into a rectangle about 10x12. Divide cinnamon and sugar into fourths. After rolling out rectangle, spread 1/4 softened butter to 1 inch of each edge. Sprinkle with 1/4 cinn./sugar mixture to 1 inch of the edge. Roll up jelly style, secure edges. Mark log in half, then half again, making 12 rolls, with dental floss. Next cut rolls with floss and place on parchment lined school baking sheet. Flatten with fingertips. Let rolls rise for 1-2 hours (mine take longer-like 2-3 hours). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown or 400 for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling racks. Frost with desired frosting. Can be sprinkled with chopped nuts.
Frosting options:
Carmel Frosting:
1 cube butter, melted
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 pound of powdered sugar
evaporated milk
Melt butter and add salt and brown sugar, stirring constantly over medium heat on range. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Add vanilla and about 1/4 cup evap. milk. Beat well. Add powdered sugar. Keep adding milk and beating with electric mixer until desired consistency. Can be thinned with more milk if this thickens up while frosting cinnamon rolls. Spread on hot cinnamon rolls and sprinkle with nuts.
Vanilla Frosting:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup milk
Beat butter. Add vanilla. Add milk and powdered sugar alternately and beat well. Spread on cooled rolls.
Orange Filling and Frosting:
Combine 1/3 cup melted butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. orange juice and grated rind from 3 oranges. Cook until thick enough spread. Cool before spreading on dough. Glaze rolls with 1 cup powdered sugar, mixed with 1 Tbsp. orange juice.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
drop of vanilla
Brush lightly over breads.
For drizzling:
1 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk or orange juice and a drop of vanilla. Pour over bread in a thing stream.
My notes on this recipe:
1. I like to cut the dough into 6 pieces (when you are ready to cut it with dental floss) so you get larger rolls.
2. When you use parchment paper the rolls won't brown like normal. They take a little longer to cook.
3. For vanilla frosting I tend to use a little more p. sugar than it calls for to make it thicker.
4. For the orange rolls I glazed them when they were still warm and they were so good but the next morning it had all soaked in and they were a little dry so keep a little glaze for day 2.
