Simplistically Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I made these Christmas eve for my visiting in-laws to enjoy Christmas morning. 

They turned out wonderful!

Yes, they require yeast

BUT DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM MAKING THEM. 

no proofing necessary

They take about an hour max to make,

 and you can even make the rolls the night before 

and then pop them in the oven for 15-20 min in the morning. 

Easy enough to make on a weekly basis for those who crave them often....

*cough* my husband *cough*

Ingredients:

Dough
1/2 cup milk, divided

1/2 cup buttermilk (you could just use milk if you don't have this, or make your own*)

3 cups, all purpose flour, divided

1/4 sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

Yeast: Option 1) 2 1/4 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast--best for bake right away rolls. 

           Option 2) 4 1/2 tsp Regular Active Yeast--best for overnight rolls.**

* Homemade buttermilk for this recipe can be made by placing 1/2 tbs vinegar or lemon juice in 1/2 cup and then the rest with milk. Stir and let sit for 5 min.

**you can use this for the bake right away rolls too, no problem.

Filling

1/2 cup butter, cubed (for less fat version 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce)

1/2 cup  brown sugar, packed

2 tsp cinnamon

Icing

1/2 cup milk

1 cup powdered sugar

option: add 2 oz cream cheese, melted

Directions:

Mix filling together with a fork or pastry blender, set aside

Blend 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in large blender bowl. 

Set aside 1/4 cup of milk and then in a small bowl heat  1/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup buttermilk, and butter for 1 min 30 sec. 

Immediately add 1/4 cup milk to heated milk/butter mixture (helps cool it down faster)

Add egg and milk/butter mixture to flour and beat  until well combined

Switch to dough hooks-or dump on to a floured surface and knead by hand.

Slowly add in the last cup of flour while mixture is beating, about 1/4 cup at a time, until dough starts to gently pull away from bowl. 

Kneed for 5 more min. 

Dough should be sticky--a good thing!--but not wet--a bad thing.

Dump dough onto well floured surface and let rest for 10 min. 

Roll out dough to form a 12x14 shape

Spread mixed filling over the entire dough surface. 

Roll dough long ways into a log

Score/mark dough into 12 rolls

Take a piece of dental floss, or thin string and slide it under the roll and under each score/mark gently pull string up through the dough, cross string to cut. 

Place roll in greased 9x13 pan with enough room to rise between rolls

Repeat for the rest of the rolls. 

Cover with a clean towel.

Heat a small bowl of water in the microwave for about 5 min--or until water boils. 

Put pan in the steamy microwave (with bowl if possible) and let rise:

• If you are planning on baking them same day leave in steamed microwave for 30 min to rise:

• If you are planning on baking them in the morning/next day, leave in steamed microwave for 15 min to start rising then place in the fridge, still covered with cloth to rise slower over night. 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Place rolls in the oven for 15-20 min,or until tops are golden brown

Watch them closely, you don't want these over cooked.

While baking make icing by whisking all ingredients in a bowl then pour into a plastic bag and then cut off the tip. 

They were devoured quickly!

Drizzle over dough once out of the oven. 

ENJOY!!!!