Ironwood Book Club Recipes - Cinnamon Rolls

First of all, thanks to everyone who commented on my last post - I appreciate them and already know I'll snap out of my photography rut soon.

And in the meantime....With Super Bowl Sunday right around the corner, I thought I would share some recipes, courtesy of my Book Club friends. A year ago, I collected many of these recipes, with the goal of sharing all of them. Well, I think I got through half of the recipes before my attention got diverted to something else (I swear, even my blogging life shows signs of ADD).

Kellie made these decadent Cinnamon Rolls and they are perfect for a cold winter's snow day, with a steaming cup of coffee - a well deserved treat after you've shoveled 12" of snow off your driveway. Or after a 15 mile run (seriously, one of the main reasons I run - so I can eat this stuff without too much guilt). Of course, Kellie shared these with us several times last year since we had so much snow!



Note: The dough recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman.

Cinnamon Rolls
Dough: (two portions)
- 1 qt. whole milk
- 1 C vegetable oil
- 1 C sugar
- 2 pkgs. active dry yeast (.25 oz. pkgs)
- 8 C (plus 1 C extra) flour
- 1 t (heaping) baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 T (heaping) salt
- 1 1/2 sticks melted butter
- 2 C sugar
- cinnamon

Topping:
1 1/2 Sticks butter
1 1/4 C Brown Sugar

Make the Dough:
• Heat milk, oil and sugar in pan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm.
• Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit on milk 1 minute.
• Add 8 cups flour. Stir til just combined, cover with a towel and set in warm place 1 hour.
• Remove towel and add baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 C flour. Stir to combine.
• Chill dough 1 hour or overnight. (Punch down if it rises too big overnight.)

To assemble rolls:
• Remove 1/2 dough and roll into 30 x 10” rectangle on floured surface. Roll thin.
• Pour 3/4 C-1 C melted butter over dough. Use fingers to spread. Generously sprinkle cinnamon and 1 C sugar over butter.
• Roll rectangle tightly towards you. Pinch seam together and place seam side down, making a log. Put cutting board underneath and make 1/2” slices with a sharp knife.
• Pour 1 1/2 sticks melted butter in a 9x13 pan.
• Distribute 1 1/4 C brown sugar over butter
• Place rolls on top
• Cover and let them rise a bit for 20 minutes while the oven preheats

• Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 375 DegF oven until golden brown on top.

• Quickly flip over onto cookie sheet after baking.

Optional - go out for a 15 mile run while your friend (or husband or teenager) does all the hard work above. Scarf them down when you get back (after you've hopefully taken a shower!). Go into a sugar - running endorphin laden stupor...that is utter contentment...