Nov 15

Nov 15 HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls

Brenda Drake + Chelsea Kasen

Bread, Desserts, Fan Favorite, How To

HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls

Prepare a large, clean surface by sprinkling with flour. You can use a rolling mat. Brenda’s preference is to use a large canvas cloth mat or a large silicon mat.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a large rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick. A true or close to true rectangle will result in uniform finished rolls. For large rolls, the rectangle should be approximately 24" x 18” from a single batch of dough.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Spread the melted butter evenly over the rectangle of dough using a rubber spatula, being sure to get all the way to the edge.
Top with a layer of brown sugar. Drop handfuls on and then sweep the sugar by hand to spread it out, resulting in a continuous layer over the full surface. Light brown sugar recommended.
Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Start at one corner and sprinkle back and forth until reaching the opposite corner, then go back and fill in any "light" spots.
(Optional) Add chopped walnuts and/or raisins.
Using your hands and starting at a convenient corner of the dough, lightly flip the edge up and over, continuing this motion the full 24” length of your rectangle. Once you reach the other end, reverse direction and roll the flipped edge under. As you go back and forth along the edge of the dough, your hands will quickly turn the rectangle of dough into a 24” long tube. To prevent the centers from "popping" when baking, be careful not to stretch the dough while rolling it up, simply coax it into a tube as if the dough were not elastic.
Mark the dough using a serrated knife to score the spot where it will be cut. Brenda uses a ruler for precise 2” tall rolls. To estimate 12 equal rolls, mark half, then half of each half, and then thirds of each quarter - 11 marks that result in 12 spirals when cut.
Use non-flavored dental floss (or a length of thread) to cut into individual rolls. Slide the floss under the long tube of dough to the first mark. Bring the two ends up over the top, cross, and pull tightly together - the dough will cut into a perfect swirl.
Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet. Brenda uses a roaster pan that is about 16" x 12" x 2.25" in order to make 2” tall cinnamon rolls stay within the pan and not hang over the edge. Brenda puts 12 rolls (4 rows of 3) in that pan, carefully placed so that each has maximum space to expand to their baked size of 4" square. If you don't have access to a similar pan, Brenda suggests a sheet pan with 2" sides or use a regular 13" x 9" as they generally have 2" sides.
Let rise for 40-50 minutes or until fingerprint stays. Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Frost. Eat.