Easy Peasy Cinnamon Rolls

You need to make these rolls. Its the right thing to do.

No really, even non-bread people can make these. Almost the entire recipe takes place in a large pot on the stove. The mixing, rising, more mixing….all on the stovetop.

Then you just roll it out thin, slap on some butter and sugar and all of a sudden you’re a pastry chef.

Ready to get started?

In a large stock pot, pour in:

4 cups milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar (I have also used honey, agave nectar, and 1/3 of each if that’s what’s in the pantry- turns out the same every time…)

Let the mixture just barely come to a boil, then shut off the heat. Go do the laundry, watch Giada, sift your 8 cups of flour we’ll need in a minute, or whatever for about 45 minutes.

When the mixture comes down to about 115 degrees (lukewarm, but not hot), its time for mixing.

Add 4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast (2 packages), then stir.

Then add 4 cups flour, stir together. (I got a dough whisk for Christmas, and this was the perfect use! I loved it soo much. My fingers never got all sticky and doughy. I have also used a wooden spoon and lived to tell about it.

Now add the other 4 cups of flour and stir.

Okay, here’s the cool part. Put the lid on the pot, and leave it alone for 1-3 hours right there on the stove. (Assuming you aren’t going to be heating up the stove during this time. Because you know what assuming does. Ass+u=me…..)

You could also put it in the refrigerator overnight too. It will still rise, just slower.

When you are ready to use the dough, add:

1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 T. salt
and 1 cup flour (if its especially humid, you’ll need up to 3/4 c. more, if its really dry, a little less)

Just use the hygrometer out of your husbands humidor. Hmm, you all don’t have one? Strange.

Then sprinkle flour all over the clean counter top. And roll the dough until its about 1/2 in thick in the shape of a long rectangle. It will be really long.

In a bowl, melt 2 cups of butter. (The original recipe I used calls for 3-4 cups, so as you can see, I’m cutting back……) Then add to the butter 2 cups of sugar and some cinnamon. You know, just enough to make it sort of brown.

Now spread this mix all over the dough. All your hard work is about to pay off!

Okay, you’ve got to roll the dough in a straight line (long side towards long side). Its not going to be perfect. You aren’t Martha Stewart. Go ahead and accept that now.

Once its in a “log” shape, pinch the dough to help seal the seam. Now you’re ready to cut!

Have several baking sheets greased and ready to go. And begin slicing the log into 1 inch pieces. Lay them flat in the baking dish.

Once the dishes are full, let them set for 30 min to 1 hour. This is called proofing (because believe it or not, you are officially a bread maker. You might as well know the correct vocabulary).

Heat the oven to 400. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool a bit before making icing.

Oh yeah, icing. I like an easy standard icing recipe:
2-3 cups powdered sugar
healthy splash of milk
drop of vanilla

Mix it well. Too thick? Add milk. Too runny? Add powdered sugar. Its not an exact science.

Now go share these with the world! And eat a few for yourself too. Like I said earlier, its the right thing to do.

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