Warm, Fresh Cinnamon Rolls For Any Occassion
Discover > Texas Recipes > Warm, Fresh Cinnamon Rolls For Any Occassion
Pecan Cinnamon Rolls are one of the best things you make for a get-together or any occasion. They're big, sweet, delicious, and are hardly as difficult to make as you may think. You can customize them endlessly by filling them with your favorite nuts (how long do nuts last?), marshmallows, (how long do marshmallows last?) chocolate, hell I've even seen some people use bacon (was actually quite nice). Another great reason to bake these up is that they work for practically any occasion. Christmas, Easter, birthdays, bake-offs, bake sales, etc, etc.
The Dough
Bread Flour
Bread flour (how long does flour last?) is the most important ingredient. It will greatly boost the chewy, bready texture that makes the difference between mediocre cinnamon rolls and the best you've ever had. Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose (9-12%) or self-raising (9-11%) might, around 11-13%.
Take advantage of the wide variety of options when you shop for bread flour online!
The more proteins a certain type of flour has the more gluten it will form the more structure the dough will have. The flour will have different protein content based on where the wheat for it is grown, so check the label at the back of the packaging to make sure.
Yeast
Since yeast doesn't apply itself very much in terms of flavor in this recipe, you can use a sachet of instant or active dry yeast (how long does active dry yeast last?). If you're using active dry, warm up the milk by sticking it in the microwave on high for around 45 seconds. Active dry yeast is a bacteria that needs to be activated by liquid.
Get the best value for your money by purchasing yeast online!
Like most bacteria, yeast prefers sweetness and warm conditions, so adding the yeast to a mixture of lukewarm milk and sugar (how long does sugar last?) will yield the best results. However, keep the milk from becoming too hot or you risk killing the yeast.
Eggs
1 whole egg and one yolk are what you'll need for this recipe, and this is important. Both the egg white and the yolk provide very different functions in baking. Egg whites can act as leaveners and binders while the yolk provides fat, flavor, nutrients, and richness. Since cinnamon requires a very fluffy, yet rich and stinky texture, we use one white and two yolks.
Butter
Butter (how long does butter last?) is very important in this recipe both for the dough and the filling because it gives richness and silkiness to the texture, so go all out with some European butter with high-fat content. It won't be great for your diet, but if you're eating cinnamon rolls, you may as well.
The Filling
Butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon are the three main ingredients for the filling. Use European butter for the filling. Again, the rich effect it has on the dough can't be overstated. This recipe also calls for dark brown sugar, and while other brown sugars work, only the dark stuff will give you the color, richness, and sweetness so synonymous with cinnamon rolls. The darker the sugar is, the more molasses (how long does molasses last?) it has, Mix around 2/3 of a cup with 1.5 - 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon.
Trust me, the easiest way to buy brown sugar and ground cinnamon is through online retailers!
Pecans (how long do pecans last?) are the logical filling to go for in Texas where they grow all over the place. Get creative with the filling, use marshmallows, other types of nuts, fruits, chocolate, and whatever else you enjoy.
The Icing
There's no such thing as a legendary cinnamon roll without legendary icing, and like the filling, the icing is endlessly customizable. The base of any basic cinnamon roll icing is powdered sugar and milk or water, with the addition of vanilla alone you can take it to new lengths. While that is fun and all you can enhance it even more by making a cream cheese icing or topping it with your favorite nuts or confections.
When it comes to powdered sugar, online shopping is the way to go!
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups bread flour
- 3/4 tablespoon yeast
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Brush 2 tablespoons of melted butter to a 9 inch square baking dish
- In a large mixing bowl mix flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using your hands, mix 3 tablespoons softened butter into the flour mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg; pour into the flour-butter mixture and stir with a spatula until a soft dough is formed
- Then, roll the dough onto 1/4 inch thick floured rectangle work surface. Using two tablespoons of melted butter, brush the dough's surface.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. In the bottom of the prepared baking dish, sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Over the butter-brushed dough, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Roll the dough around the filling to make a log; cut the log into 18 rolls and set them in the baking dish.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rolls are set.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the vanilla extract,1/4 cup softened butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and until smooth.
- Spread cream cheese frosting on hot cinnamon rolls
Nutrition Facts
Calories
256Fat
13Sat. Fat
8Carbs
33Fiber
1Net carbs
33Sugar
22Protein
3Sodium
283Cholesterol
53
