Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ever since I posted my Biscuits and Gravy recipe and gave a shout out to Homemade Fresh Cinnamon Rolls, I’ve been CRAVING the PioneerWomen’s rolls! So last weekend I decided I wanted to get up early Saturday morning … this may or may not been initiated due to the fact our breakfast options could have possibly been very limited only because somebody (cough … me … ehhem) decided we potentially could last a few more days before desperately needing to go grocery shopping. Either way I was up early enough with the great intention to make some fresh cinnamon rolls, only to find out after already starting to mix up the first few ingredients that we were almost out of all-purpose flour as well (Like I mentioned … we were SLIM pickins!)

Well, at this point I had only a few options left 1) run to the store and buy more flour, 2) or something else for breakfast, or 3) substitute the remaining flour needed for whole wheat flour. Some days I would have gone with option #2 hands down but today I had already done the hardest part about making fresh cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning by forcing myself to get up in enough time for these to be eaten for breakfast AND I really didn’t want to leave the house, SO whole wheat cinnamon rolls it is.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Dough-

4 cups whole milk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

5 cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon salt

the milk, oil, and sugar mixture

In a large stockpot, heat milk, oil, and sugar to almost boiling. Allow to cool until warm. Sprinkle yeast a top the warm milk and let stand for 1 min. Stir in 5 cups of whole wheat flour and 3 cups of all-purpose flour until combined. Cover with stockpot with dishtowel and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1 cup all-purpose flour. Stirring until thoroughly combined. Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, push the dough flat with your fingers to form a rough rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into about a 10” x 30” rectangle with the long edge facing you.

the dough before rising

Filling-

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

¼ cup cinnamon

2 cups sugar

Melt ½ cup butter (1 stick) and spread out onto the dough. Sprinkle with half (2 tablespoons) of cinnamon and ½ (1 cup) of sugar evenly onto the buttered dough. Starting with the long side farthest from you, roll the dough towards you. Once all rolled up, pinch the edge closest to you into the roll to close. Slice using a sharp knife into about 2 dozen 1 ½ inch wide slices. **At this point you could freeze the rolls, place them on cookie sheets covered with saran wrap and place in the freeze until frozen, then place in freeze container of your choice.** Prepare pan(s) by coating the bottom with butter, place rolls 1 inch apart. Cover with dishtowel and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden, do not overcook. Repeat with second half of dough.

While the rolls are baking it’s onto the frosting, which I offer to options. A maple frosting from the Pioneer Woman’s recipe or a cream cheese frosting of my own.

Maple Espresso Frosting (Pioneer Woman’s)-

2 pounds (about 8 cups) powdered sugar

½ cup whole milk

6 tablespoons butter

¼ cup strong brewed coffee

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon maple flavoring

Whisk together until very smooth. Frosting should be thick but pourable. Generously drizzle over warm rolls.

Cream Cheese Frosting-

6 cups of powdered sugar

½ cup milk

½ cup (1 stick) butter melted

4 ounces cream cheese softened

Whisk milk, butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add powdered sugar until the thickness you desire. Top warm rolls.

Although, I would have preferred using only all-purpose flour, these turned out really well. I was a little worried at first since more often things turnout much denser when using whole wheat flour, and this recipe was not that way.  So good and what makes this even better I was able to make enough rolls to enjoy over the entire weekend AND save the other half of the rolls for the freeze to enjoy these deliciousness later without all the time and effort!

the second half before going into the freezer, froze them like this
then put them in a freezer bag

I’ll have to share an update once we eat up the second half of the recipe from the freezer.