Mom’s Cinnamon Rolls
In the Midwest, cinnamon roll is basically our middle name. Every ole’ gal in this part of the country is going to have her own cinnamon roll recipe.
Fun fact, my mom procured this recipe from the old lady next door when she was 10 years old and has been making them ever since. In fact, the recipe card that she keeps on file is her original re-write of the recipe from when she was in High School. It’s hard as hell to read with her bubbly little cursive.
Back to these rolls, they’re remarkable. My cute little Grandy was a dessert aficionado and this was one thing he requested my mom make time and time again.
You see, these rolls hold a special place in the heart of my entire family. My Aunt actually text my mom and I recently inciting a cinnamon roll bake off – “because Pete has never had Rhonda’s cinnamon rolls” or something like that. All that said, I am going to need a recipe to top this one so let me know if you have any award winners!
Maybe we should have that cinnamon roll bake off…
My only notes for you going into this dough: read the directions thoroughly and you will not mess them up. Also. Yes, you need that much sugar & cinnamon.
IG reel at the bottom!
Mom's Cinnamom Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 packets dry yeast
- 2 C. lukewarm water
- ½ C. sugar
- ¾ C. shortening
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 T. salt
- 7 – 7 ½ C. flour
- 1 stick butter
- 1 C. sugar
- ½ C. cinnamon
- ½ stick butter
- 3-4 C. powdered sugar
- ¼ C. Milnot (evaporated milk)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, pour in the water and sprinkle the yeast on top, using your hand with the dough hook to stir until mostly dissolved. Add the sugar and let it dissolve. Add the hook to the mixer and turn to low.
- Add softened shortening and beaten eggs.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, and salt.
- Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture, turning your mixer up one notch and mixing for 8-12 minutes or until the dough starts to pull away from the sides.
- Place in a greased bowl and turn to coat the top, cover with a clean towel.
- Let the dough rise til it’s doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- Dive the dough in half and roll half into a 12x17 rectangle. Brush with melted butter up to the edges.
- Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cinnamon, and then 1/2 cup of the sugar. It's a lot!
- Roll from long side, away from you. Using a serrated knife, slice into 1 ½ to 2 inch slices, being careful not to smash the dough.
- Spray a 9x13 baking pan with Pam and place the cinnamon rolls a half inch away from each other.
- Cover and let rise until fluffy and the rolls are touching, about 45 more minutes.
- Repeat with the second ball of dough.
- Preheat your oven to 400. Bake for about 12 minutes.
- Let cinnamon rolls cool for at least 1 hour before adding icing.
- To make icing, mix the sugar, melted butter, 3 T. Milnot and vanilla. Pour on top.
