Ohio Thoughts: Make in the Morning Cinnamon Rolls

I am anxiously awaiting the perfect outdoor temperatures so I can once again tap my maple trees to make maple syrup. The temps need to be above 40 degrees during the day and below freezing at night. This causes the sap to run.

While waiting all I can think about are recipes using maple syrup.

This is a pretty easy homemade Cinnamon Roll recipe and perfect for a lazy Saturday morning.

These can be started in the early morning hours before everyone wakes, and are ready in about 1 to 1½ hours, start to finish. Their also just as good the next day! (if any make it that long)

This recipe is a reworking (or I got the inspiration from) the cinnamon rolls in the Pioneer Woman's cookbook. Hers is the best but the amount was enough to feed a small village. Although I cut it down and changed it a little, it still makes enough to fill a large baking dish.

Mix together water, yeast, and sugar

A few other suggestions:

You can use oil instead of butter
Add chopped pecans or walnuts in the dough roll or sprinkle on top when done
You can add a little strong brewed coffee to the frosting for a unique flavor
Use maple flavoring if you do not have real maple syrup
Drizzle rolls with frosting instead of completely covering them
Use Orange Marmalade instead of brown sugar & cinnamon and top with orange frosting.

Make in the Morning Cinnamon Rolls

PRINT THIS RECIPE

Ingredients:

Dough

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (room temperature)

3 to 4 tablespoons sugar (or use raw honey)

1 ½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 ¼ cup warm milk, 105 degrees

3 - 3 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

Melt butter and add to yeast mixture

Filling

2 to 3 tablespoons real maple syrup (or use melted butter or a little of both)

1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar

Cinnamon

(1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans if desired)

Directions:

Put water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes or until foamy. (If it does not bubble or get foamy, your yeast may be bad).

Let the yeast mixture sit for 3 to 4 minutes or until foamy and bubbly

Place the yeast mixture into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and add salt and butter, mix.

(See below for hand mixing this recipe)

Using the flat beater, add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Continue adding flour until you have a soft dough. Switch to the dough hook and turn on low speed to knead approximately 4 to 6 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.

In a mixing bowl add flour to the yeast mixture

Cover bowl with Sarah wrap or damp dishcloth and let rest 5 to 10 minutes in the bowl.
Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface or parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, (or your fingertips), roll dough into a rectangle.

On a floured surface or parchment paper roll out the dough

Brush dough surface with maple syrup or melted butter or use a combination of both. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the syrup. Last sprinkle on the desired amount of cinnamon. Add chopped pecans if desired or use them as a garnish when rolls are done.

Spread butter and/or maple syrup on the dough

Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on the dough

Roll dough into a log from the long side of the rectangle.

Cut dough in half from the middle and then continue to cut each section into approximately 1 inch thick slices.

Roll the dough from the long side

Cut dough into approximately 1-inch slices

Place cut side up in a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Do not pack them too tight, dough needs a little room to rise and expand.

Cover with Sarah wrap and let rise until nearly doubled or about 20 to 30 minutes.

Place cinnamon slices in a greased baking dish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake 14 to 18 minutes or just until lightly golden brown.
Do not over-bake or bake overly brown.

Do not over bake, bake just until lightly golden brown

Allow to cool slightly before applying frosting.

Maple Frosting

Ingredients

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 to 3 tablespoons real maple syrup

(Or use few drops of maple extract flavoring)

While rolls are baking prepare the frosting

Directions

Mix all frosting ingredients together. Gently smooth over cinnamon rolls.

If you prefer a thinner frosting, decrease powdered sugar by ½ cup.

To serve place one cinnamon roll on a dessert plate and sprinkle top with a few pieces of chopped pecans.

Maple Frosting

If Mixing by Hand

Place water, yeast, and sugar in a medium-large mixing bowl and stir until dissolved.

Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbly and foamy. If it does not bubble or get foamy, your yeast is bad.

Stir in salt and melted butter, mix well.

Add 2 ½ to 3 cups of flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing well between each.

Flour your hands and place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for approximately 5 to 6 minutes, adding the remaining flour as you knead, a little at a time.

After kneading, form dough into a ball and place it back into the mixing bowl.

Cover bowl with Sarah wrap or a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

*Follow the main recipe from this step.