by Elizabeth Morrison

Created on: April 11, 2011   Last Updated: April 26, 2011

There’s nothing better than the aroma of fresh home-made cinnamon rolls baking in your oven. The smell alone leaves your mouth watering for these irresistible, buttery, cinnamon-sugary rolls. They are great served warm just as they are or with a mug of coffee or milk if you please.

 Ingredients:

2 ¼ teaspoons fast rising instant yeast

½ cup warm water (not too hot, or it will kill the yeast)

1/3 cup melted butter

½ cup hot milk

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

½ cup butter, at room temperature

¾ cup sugar, mixed with

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

¾ cup raisins, almonds, walnuts or pecans (optional)

Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

3-6 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In large bowl, mix melted butter, hot milk, sugar, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture and the remaining flour and mix until it forms a dough. On a floured surface, knead dough for about a minute or just until it is not sticky. Spray the entire inside of large bowl with non-stick spray and place dough ball into it. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and set in a warm spot to rise, such as on the stovetop while oven is preheating. Let dough rise for about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.

2. On a floured surface, roll out risen dough into an approximate 15 inch by 9 inch rectangle. Spread room temperature butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture heavily over the butter layer, saving about 2 tablespoons worth of the cinnamon-sugar mixture for later. If adding raisins or nuts, sprinkle them over the cinnamon-sugar layer. Beginning with the 15 inch side, roll up dough into a log and pinch seams together to seal. Cut log into 12 thick slices.

3. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture that was set aside from earlier evenly into a 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Place roll slices close together in pan forming 3 rows of 4. Cover pan with plastic wrap or a towel and place on stovetop to rise again. Let rolls rise for about 45 minutes or until they are fluffy and doubled in size.

4. After rolls are risen, sprinkle the tops with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. While they are baking, mix the room temperature butter, vanilla and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl. Add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches desired thickness and consistency.

5. Drizzle and/or spread glaze over slightly cooled rolls.

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