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The Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

Source of Recipe


LHJ, Recipes 2000






List of Ingredients



• -- Dough --
  
• 2 cups milk
  
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 pkgs. active dry yeast
  
• 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees, F)
  
• 2 large egg yolks
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 7-1/4 to 8-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
  
• *
  
• -- Cinnamon Sugar --
  
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
  
• *
  
• 8 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted, divided
  
• 1-1/2 cups pecan halves, chopped
  
• *
  
• -- Glaze --
  
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 2 to 2-1/2 Tbsp orange juice
  






Instructions



1. Make dough: Combine milk and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Cool until mixture is lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes, until yeast is foamy.
   
   
2. With a wooden spoon, beat milk mixture, egg yolks and salt into dissolved yeast, until blended. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, then softened butter, until mixture is smooth. Gradually stir in another 3-1/4 cups flour until blended and mixture forms a soft dough.
   
   
3. Grease a large bowl. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, adding as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as necessary, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough in prepared bowl, turning to grease top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 hour.
   
   
4. Make cinnamon sugar: Stir together granulated and brown sugars and cinnamon in a bowl, breaking up any small brown sugar lumps with a spoon; set aside.
   
   
5. Brush two 13x9x2-inch baking pans with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle the bottom of each with 1/4 cup of the cinnamon sugar. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; cut in half. Roll 1 piece of dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Brush top with 3 tablespoons of the butter. Sprinkle entire surface evenly with 3/4 cup of the cinnamon sugar; top evenly with half of the pecans. Starting at one long end of the rectangle, roll up dough tightly to form a log. Pinch edges to seal. With a serrated knife, cut log crosswise with a sawing motion into twelve 1-1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices cut side up in 4 rows, 3 per row, in one prepared pan, with space between the rows. Punch down remaining piece of dough. Repeat process, rolling and cutting with remaining melted butter, cinnamon sugar and pecans. Arrange slices in the other prepared pan. Cover pans and let rolls rise until almost doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. (Rolls will touch on all sides.)
   
   
6. Meanwhile, adjust oven racks in middle and upper third positions. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).
   
   
7. Uncover rolls and bake 20 minutes. Switch pans between racks and bake rolls 15 minutes, until golden and the middle of the center roll is baked. Immediately invert each pan, turning rolls out onto wire racks. Cool 5 minutes; turn rolls right side up. (Can be made ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a large food storage bag. Freeze up to 2 weeks. Thaw completely. Uncover and reheat on cookie sheet in 350-degree oven 15 minutes, until warm in center.)
   
   
8. Make glaze: Meanwhile, combine confectioners' sugar and orange juice in bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle warm rolls with glaze.
   
   Makes 24 rolls.