I would imagine almost every one of us has a cinnamon roll memory. For me, it is monstrous cinnamon rolls from a nearby Amish town. My mom remembers having chili and cinnamon rolls as a child, and forever after believing the two were meant to be together. Ty’s Granny used to take cinnamon rolls to the field for harvest, and his mom says cinnamon rolls were the only good thing about school lunches.
This recipe makes the most amazingly soft and delicious cinnamon rolls with one 30 minute rise only!
Now, I’m going to tell you right now, this a BIG batch of dough. This is most definitely a large family recipe, so if you aren’t a large family, you might want to half the recipe or better yet, make the whole batch and freeze your rolls for another day, or better still…bless someone else with a cinnamon roll memory!
Quick-Rise Cinnamon Rolls
Dough:
3 1/2 c. warm water
1 c. oil
1 c. honey
6 Tbsp yeast
3 eggs
1 Tbsp salt
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
8 c. white flour
(or do all wheat if you like)
Filling:
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cinnamon
Icing:
6 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. butter, softened
3 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbsp milk
Mix water, oil, honey and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let rest 15 minutes to sponge. Add eggs, salt, and all of the wheat flour and mix. Then add all of the white flour and mix. Knead 5 minutes. (At this point, you can either shape into rolls or you can start the cinnamon roll process. I often make both! The rising and baking directions are the same, so carry on…)
If you have the space, flour the area and roll out the entire batch of dough into a large rectangle about a 1/2″ thickness.. Then cut the dough in half and spread the melted butter over both sides. Mix up the cinnamon and sugar filling and sprinkle over both sides.
Now, roll each smaller rectangle up jell-roll style (which basically means, lengthwise). Grab yourself a bit of thread and start cutting your cinnamon rolls in style! Yes, I said thread.
Trying to saw through bread dough with a knife isn’t pretty. Using thread, you simply slide it under the dough, bring the ends of the thread to the top of the dough, cross and pull. This makes even, beautiful cuts. Do this all the way down the dough, placing each roll cut-side-down on a greased baking sheet. Meanwhile, try to keep the kids from licking the counter-top where the butter and cinnamon-sugar has oozed out. Oh, wait…maybe that’s just my kids.
Let them rise for 30 minutes or more, until they are just the size you want them. I do this by covering the rolls with a light cotton towel and putting them in the oven (otherwise, I’d have to stand guard lest the preschoolers decide to eat them raw!)
Once they have risen sufficiently, bake at 425° for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and calling your name!
Let the cinnamon rolls cool (if you can stand it) and then mix up your icing. To do this, mix the powdered sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Stir in vanilla and 3 Tbsp of milk. Beat until smooth and spreadable, adding the extra tablespoon of milk as needed to get the right consistency.
Then, spread on the ooey-gooey goodness!
I like to do these at night so they are sitting out for the kids in the morning as an easy breakfast. Often, my older children will offer to mix up the icing and frost them for me. Hmmm…I wonder why?
For more Large Family Recipes, click here:
Leah Williams says
Cinnamon rolls and chili, yum! My grade school used to serve chili frito pie (just chili on fritos and topped with cheese) and the dessert was always cinnamon rolls, so I can relate to the feeling that it was a match made in heaven. My school actually had good food most of the time and their cinnamon rolls were the best. I’ve had Cinnabon and the ones I had in grade school are better. Seriously. I’ve made cinnamon rolls at home many times, but never with eggs. I’m going to have to try this one.
Jillian says
I had to laugh when I saw the thread, we do it that way too. 🙂 I haven’t made cinnamon rolls in a long time because the recipe I had was pretty messy. But this looks much more doable. Thanks!
Melinda says
Sounds yummy! I do like cinnamon rolls, but I don’t enjoy how long they can take to make. I’ll have to give these a try.
My cinnamon roll memory is from Christmas morning. It was the only time she made cinnamon rolls, and they were our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.
Amy says
Oh, yes! Cinnamon rolls are definitely a Christmas morning thing. 🙂
Lacey says
Can you make the icing and refrigerate or freeze it for later?
Amy says
Hmmm…I’ve never tried to freeze frosting.
Jennifer says
Can I ask how in the world you get your dough rolled out so straight? It looks beautiful. And I have never in my life heard of eating chili and cinnamon rolls together! When I met my husband, I thought his family was quite wierd because they eat cottage cheese with their chili and goulash. They just scoop out a big spoonful and put it on top, strange if ya ask me!
Amy says
It’s an art for sure! Now, don’t look at my tortillas! I can’t roll out a circle for nothin’, but rectangles I can do! lol
renee says
Dropping by to see how you are doing 🙂
Blessings,Renee
Rhoda says
You weren’t kidding when you said this made a mess of dough. This sounded so good and doable that with bones simmering all day for broth I decided to make plain rolls to go with soup. With the dough left over (hiding in the fridge!) I’ll surprise the kids with cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I haven’t made cinnamon rolls in years because the recipe I had was pretty labor intensive. And in my house it would not only be the kids licking the cinnamon sugar off the table! I’ve been known a time or two to give a lick or two!
Amy says
LOL – They’re going to love it!
Melody Eddy says
Ha, I had to comment because our grade school always had cinnamon rolls and chili together, it was glorious to smell them baking in the hallways. I’m 50 something so I can relate to the parents’ comments, my kids missed out at school but I made up for it at home. 🙂
Amy says
How funny!
Jodie says
Here in New Zealand, most people call these Chelsea Buns. My mother used to make them when I was a child, but without the icing. I used your recipe yesterday and my eight (well, nine if you count my Beloved) LOVED them and I was the “Best Mum in the world!”. You’re right – even for a large family it is still a big recipe but very worthwhile. I must admit to being a bit clumsy with the thread at first but once I got going, I was cutting them like a pro! My kids would like to thank “that nice lady in the USA” – so Thank You!
Amy says
HA! They are so welcome!
Nicole Auld says
I have made these before and they were so so yummy! Thanks for sharing. I plan to make for Christmas morning, but I would like to make a few days before. Do you freeze them or refrigerate, and allow to rise again before popping in the oven?
You keep shining for HIM!
In England,
Nicole Auld
Amy says
I just made these yesterday again! 🙂 You can either bake and then freeze or freeze as soon as you cut them and put them on the pan. Pull them out the night before and let them rise overnight.
theresa says
can you tell me how many cinnamon rolls this makes?
Amy says
Totally depends on how big you make them. We get about 20 per jelly roll pan x2.
Tamara says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Amy says
Unsalted