Though I’ve always considered myself to be a grill man, lately, I keep finding myself doing more and more baking. It’s all my Mom’s fault, really. When we were kids, she used to come to school and teach our entire class how to make bread, letting us each bake an individual sized loaf of braided bread. I think that’s how I got to thinking I could actually bake. My Mom also makes excellent homemade crescent rolls for holiday get-togethers with the extended family.
A number of years ago, I decided to make a double batch of my Mom’s crescent rolls (both regular and orange-flavored) for Thanksgiving with the in-laws. I soon realized that I didn’t have a big enough bowl for a double batch, and ended up taking over the entire kitchen table as my work surface. I vowed to never let that happen again, and bought a bowl big enough to bathe my son in.
Since then, I’ve taken advantage of multiple opportunities to bake. I started off making easier things like cookies and brownies from a box, but have since graduated to scratch made cakes (both single- and multiple-layer) and other sweet desserts. I’ve done a bit of frying as well, making donuts and scones numerous times in the recent past. Restaurant supply stores have become a popular shopping spot for me, though I don’t get to go as crazy as I’d like, due to the fact that my wife still does the bulk of the cooking in our house, and we already have a well-stocked kitchen.
This past week, I made my first real cinnamon rolls, though they were only partially homemade. The first batch I made were for friends, but the second batch were for my family. If I had had more time, I would have gone the fully scratch made route, but I was a bit pressed for time, so I used frozen yeast dough. Overall, I think they worked out quite well.
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 pound previously frozen bread dough (thawed overnight in the fridge)
- 4 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cinnamon Rolls
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle. Spread the melted butter on top of the bread dough. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon together and spread it over the top of the butter on the bread dough.
- From the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log. Slice the log into 2 inch think rolls (using a bread knife or dental floss), and place in a greased pan, cut side down, leaving a little space between rolls. Cover with a cloth and allow the rolls to rise until they have doubled in size.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are browned. Allow to cool slightly before adding the icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the softened butter. Mix in the vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
- Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm.