Love Them Cinnamon Rolls
I have been a sweets junkie my entire life — from the cookies that I dipped in chocolate milk as a child, to my insatiable addiction to cinnamon rolls today.
These soft little sweet rolls are a great breakfast pastry, perfect afternoon snack with milk for the kiddies or late night munchies. Don’t forget to add pecan or walnuts for that crunch. Oh — if you really want to get sweet with it, I added a cream cheese frosting recipe for a spread.
RECIPE by
CHEF JEFF HENDERSON
Love Them Cinnamon Rolls
Serves 6-8
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Pinch of salt
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 cup milk, warmed to a low simmer
Filling:
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
WHAT TO DO
1. Place flour in mixing bowl. Whisk the butter, sugar, eggs and salt together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over warm milk and let stand to dissolve. With the mixer on slow to medium speed, slowly add the butter mixture then the yeast mixture. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, then scrape the bowl and mix for an additional minute.
2. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough on a floured surface and let rest for about 15 minutes. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 thick.
3. Place brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter in a mixer bowl and beat until creamy. Spread the filling evenly over the dough and sprinkle with nuts. Roll the dough tightly into a log shape. Slice the log 1 3/4 inches thick and place the rolls in a lightly greased cast iron skillet or pie dish. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Drizzle with cream cheese icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
Yields approximately 1/2 cup
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
WHAT TO DO
Beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the sugar, then mix in the vanilla and salt. The mixture should be creamy. Set aside until ready to use.
Jeff Henderson is the author of New York Times best-seller “Cooked” (William Morrow) and “Chef Jeff Cooks” (Simon & Schuster). For more info, visit www.chefjeffhenderson.com.
