Do I have your attention?
Last night’s baking fail was ultimately trumped by this afternoon’s success at making The Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls!!! Like I said… Butter! Sugar! Cinnamon! Icing! Wheee! (clearly I’ve had too much of all of the above!)
This recipe is one of The Pioneer Woman’s classics, that she swears up and down by. I’ve been dying to give baking with yeast another try and this recipe seemed like the perfect one to do just that.
I started by scalding (heating until just barely boiling) milk, vegetable oil & sugar in a large saucepan.
Notice my first failed attempt at making this recipe in the background…
Mmm yeah… I…don’t know what happened…I just…AHH! They never rose!
Anyway, after the milk mixture scalds, let it cool down to a hot but not too hot temperature (real specific, huh?) then sprinkle in some yeast.
The yeast packet says to let the liquid cool down to 110 degrees before adding it, but other sources say add it at 140 degrees. My gut says add the yeast when the liquid is just a wee bit hotter than hot tub temperature.Â
I think that was the problem with my first batch – I was la-di-da’ing around the house and let the milk mixture get too cool – therefore the yeast couldn’t do its thang. Today I stayed on top of it and added my yeast at just the right time!
Let the yeast sit for a couple minutes, then add flour and stir to combine.
The dough needs to rise in a warm place for an hour at this point, so I put the saucepan on the stovetop with the oven set to 300 degrees. Perfectly toasty.
He is risen!
Next add more flour along with salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Combine, put a lid on the pan and pop it in the fridge. That’s also something I didn’t do the first time and the dough was just a hot mess. Refrigerating it made it SO much easier to roll out.
Which is what we do next! Flour a biiig board, or flat countertop if your home’s previous owners were smart enough to not install white tile countertops…
I rolled my dough to about 1/8 inch thick, but you can do go to whatever thickness you want. The recipe for these cinnamon rolls isn’t too precise, which I just love.
On goes the butter. Ohhh, the butter!!!!!
I think the PW herself said it best… “My approach is to add butter until I think there’s enough, then add more. If I roll up the long roll of dough and butter does not violently ooze out of it, I believe I have not used enough butter.” Amen! :D
Then a generous sprinkling of sugar,
and cinnamon.
Then we roll!
Tightly and towards you.
Pinch the seam to make sure none of that luscious, buttery-sweet filling escapes.
Finally, fill a glass with hot water and warm a knife in it. Cut the rolls 1 inch thick, dipping the knife in the water between each and every cut, wiping it off with a paper towel. Trust me – don’t try and skip the dunk, warm & wipe step!
Aren’t they puuuurty?!
Much better than the first time! :D
Throw the rolls back onto the stovetop with the oven turned to 300 degrees and let them rise for about another hour.
Then CLEAN! There’s going to be a lot of butter & sugar on your countertops. ;)
Success!
This time they friggin’ rose – thank Heavens!
A quick 13 minutes in a 350 degree oven, and, we’ve got cinnamon rolls!
Real, honest to goodness cinnamon rolls…in my kitchen!
Whip up some Maple Cinnamon Icing…
and you’ve got ICED Cinnamon Rolls!!!!
No words!
Flaky, indescribably (perfectly) sweet and cinnamony. GET YOUR MILK READY!!!!
Unraveled and eaten fresh out of the oven while pic messaging the good news to my husband.
He almost left work “sick”. ;)
Here’s the recipe – I quartered it and am going to freeze half the pan so I can enjoy these bad boys at a moment’s notice. MUWAHAHAHAHA!
Oh yeah – get your milk ready and also get a treadmill warmed up – I followed two of these up with a 5 mile jog. WORTH IT!
Grace 12.04.2010
These look great! I LOVE your blog and check it every day :) I’ve gotten some amazing dish ideas from you! I also thought I’d share this recipe from Cooking Light – its a little time consuming (you have to let the dough rest in between kneading a lot) but its delicious and easy. Also has relatively few calories!
Megan 12.04.2010
I LOVE THESE CINNAMON ROLLS!! and PW! I follow IGE and PW religiously! I’ve made them several times and the first time mine didn’t rise either! Glad to know it wasn’t just me! Good Work!
Amanda 12.04.2010
I have been dying to try these ever since I got the Pioneer Womens Cookbook at Target the other day!! I will have to try these real soon!!! They look awesome!
Dee 12.04.2010
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. OH.MY.GOSH. I die.
*drool*
Jenn from Much to My Delight 12.04.2010
Good god, woman. Those look like pure, unadulterated, fat-pants heaven. That amount of butter is probably lethal, but I agree with you, likely very worth it. I prefer cooking to baking because working with yeast and measuring things precisely intimidate me. I’d conquer that fear for a nibble of a homemade piping hot cinnamon roll though.
Alyse 12.04.2010
I always use a candy thermometer to test my yeast temp. That way I know I have it perfect. :)
I love baking whole wheat bread.
Sara 12.04.2010
Hi IGE- Another trick is to use a breadmaker for the dough- while you won’t have the bragging rights to making it by hand, it is just as delicious! I love my breadmaker cinnamon rolls! :)
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/clone-of-a-cinnabon/Detail.aspx
Sara
Teresa K 12.04.2010
Love both – and Iowa Girl – sometimes you are just plain old evil! Those rolls look amazing! Sometimes it’s nice to just shop local – makes you feel like you’re supporting locally and keeping some jobs. :)
Oh – and milk for yeast – I always do it like a baby bottle – feel it on the inside of your forearm – if you don’t feel it – it’s perfect! Too cold – it will feel lukewarm – too hot – well – you’ll know that too!
Kristin 12.04.2010
I am a long-time Des Moines reader and LOVE your blog! I had to comment on how INCREDIBLE this looks!!
Rachel 12.04.2010
I definitely like baking better–Not just because I have a sweet tooth, but I like the structure that comes with baking better than trying to add some of this & a little of that when cooking. Which reminds me, I should probably go and get some bread started!
Clare @ Fitting It All In 12.04.2010
GREAT tutorial!! Those look incredible –I have some yeast in the pantry for when I get brave enough to try it.
Lisa @Dishes of Mrs. Fish 12.04.2010
In my tiny apartment, I like cooking more. When I lived with my parents, and there was lots of room. I loved baking more. :)
These rolls look soooo good. I’d considering coming home sick too!
Sarah R 12.04.2010
So strange… I just made these yesterday only to get up this morning and read that you had made them too! They are heavenly. I’m serving a them with chili for a much of hungry men who are over helping my husband with a remodel project. Hopefully the guys will eat them all so I’m not too tempted!
Jacki 12.04.2010
First of all, let me just say that I love reading your blog!
Here’s a little tip for you: Whenever I need something yeasty to rise, I turn my gas oven on 250, and as soon as I hear it click on or ignite, I watch the clock for exactly one minute only so it can heat up just a little bit. Then I turn it right back off and put my dough in to rise according to the recipe. Things rise faster and better because they are in a very controlled environment and not in a kitchen where the air temp may be slightly different one time to the next. If you have an electric range, I’m not sure. It might take just a tad bit longer to get the oven warm enough for the same effect. You definitely don’t want the oven TOO warm, and just make sure that with either one, you remember to turn it off! I’ve forgotten before, and that’s not a good idea. ;-)
You’ve inspired me to make some rolls for my family on this snowy Iowa day!
Jessie 12.04.2010
I love to bake. My favorite yeast baking is 5 minute bread. Totally worth getting the book ). You throw all the ingredients in the mixer & there is no real work involved. Makes the BEST pizza dough.
You can also use a piece of dental floss to cut your cinnamon rolls.
Hannah Mize 12.04.2010
I love to bake and bake with yeast all the time. The reason your first batch did not rise was because your milk was too hot. If you heat your liquid to 110 degrees, but do not go over, you will be successful. If your liquid is too hot, it kills the yeast.
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef 12.04.2010
ummm yeah, those are amazing. i love ’em. and in indiana we have 2-3″ of snow with that storm too…. really early for this time of year :(
Kristen @ That Hoosier Girl 12.04.2010
I’m definitely more into baking…the rewards are just, well…sweeter ;)
And…I will now be craving those cinnamon rolls the rest of the day! Yum!
Dana @ my little celebration 12.03.2010
I’m drooling. And officially craving a cinnamon roll…
Hannah L. (Hannah Lives) 12.03.2010
I have made PW’s cinnamon rolls 2 or 3 times, and each time they are better than the last!
It’s 11:15 p.m. here in Minneapolis, and so far we have about 5″, with a reported 3″ more on the way. Pray for us.