Dear Friend asked for recommendations on where to find a good classic cinnamon roll in Seattle? If you have seen one roll you have seen one roll. Each bakery has their own style, none of which were what her taste buds where searching for….  Grand Central – too dry, no frosting; Cinnabon – too commercial, no ambience, Maltbe Cafe – heard they are good, too far north, too long of a wait, Macrina – not gooey, no frosting yada yada yada.  Based on exclusions and no other ideas at the tip of my tongue – I decided that I could make the roll she longs for: Gooey, cream cheesy, white flour (none of that healthy whole wheat stuff), not too French, (who cares if it’s Golden Croissant Award winning or whatever) AND ….  just like we used to eat on Thursdays in grade school. Ah….. Chili, cinnamon roll and chocolate milk day! Still continues on but I chose to live in my memory. That and I am hundreds of miles away from those Thursdays.

Searched my recipe tomes for the home ec recipe that I swear I saved (it would be perfect!). No where to be found. Turning to Pinterest and obsessively critiquing reviews I settled on “Overnight” Cinnamon Rolls via Turntable Kitchen blog complements of Pink of Perfection, and added in my own twists.  With all the best intentions to start the night before sleep in and serve for brunch, I started at 11 pm all to find out my yeast expired 2011 and was supposed to be in the fridge/freezer after opening, which is was not. Rather than launch into a futile mission, I went to bed and set my alarm to head to the store first thing. Fast Forward to Sunday morning!

“Overnight” Glazed Cinnamon Rolls
For the dough:
1 cup of milk (I had skim and some half and half which I created some % of milk)
1/3 cup of butter
1 packet or 0.25 ounces of active dry yeast
1/2 cup of sugar
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
3 large eggs

For the filling:
1 1/3 cups of brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons of flour
1/4 cup of butter softened

1/4 cup butter for spreading on dough

For the sugar glaze
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of butter, melted
2 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Cream Cheese Icing

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Start by making the dough. Heat milk in a small pot or microwave until it just starts to bubble. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted. Set aside and let cool. so you don’t kill the yeast…
2. Combine half of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), mixing well. Add in the lukewarm milk/butter mixture and eggs, beating well. Add in 1/2 cup of flour, stirring well. Continue adding the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well each time.  When making it same day I dissolved the yeast in the lukewarm milk, butter mixture, brought the eggs to room temp in a water bath and just dumped it in all together
3. Once the dough has just come together, transfer it to a lightly flour surface and knead it for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Add flour as needed if too sticky. This could also be done with a dough-hook in a stand mixer. I started with mine but just can’t get the hang of it. I like the real knead.
4. If overnighting – Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. If same daying – place in greased bowl (Pam) and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 60 minutes, ideally to double in size. Mine did not rise that well but no big gig said the pig.  Have your dog supervise the rise…
5. While the dough is resting or rising, mix the filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Use your fingers or a fork to create small crumbs and make sure that the cinnamon and brown sugar are well-mixed with the butter. Not an exact science here. You could toss in raisins or nuts or whatever too.
6. On a well flour surface – roll out the dough into a roughly 16 x 21 inch rectangle, about a 1/4 inch think. Spread a 1/4 cup of soften butter on the dough, THEN spread the cinnamon/sugar/butter filling over the dough and roll from the long end.
7. Prepare a 9×12 inch baking pan, glass or metal. Cut the dough log into 12 – 16 rolls, placing them cut side up in the pan. Cut using a double up piece of thread.
   1. For overnight – cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 8-12 hours.
   2. For same day – cover with tinfoil or plastic wrap and let rise a second time for about 30 minutes
8. For overnight rolls – the next morning remove the pan from the refrigerator and let it sit out in a draft-free place for about 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
10. While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze or icing by whisking together all of the glaze ingredients. Same for icing. Thin out with milk, if needed.
11. Pour the glaze or dollop the icing evenly over the hot cinnamon rolls and eat warm. I also tried melting a salted caramel on top.  pretty good but cream cheese is better.

Supervised rise Hot and Fresh!

Cinnamon rolls – how I have forgotten my love for thee ….