Sarah Michaelsens Cinnamon Rolls Recipes

CLASSIC CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Make the rolls: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the butter over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one of the long sides. Top with the cinnamon sugar. Brush the clean border with water. Tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch log, rolling toward the clean border; pinch the seam to seal.
• Slip a long taut piece of thread or unflavored floss under the roll, about 1 1/2 inches from the end. Lift the ends of the thread and cross over the roll, pulling tightly to cut off a piece. Repeat, cutting every 1 1/2 inches, to make 12 rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish.
• Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour, 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the rolls and bake until they spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. (You can freeze the baked rolls for up to 2 weeks. Cool completely before freezing, then thaw, warm up and glaze before serving.)
• Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls.
• Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

SARAH MICHAELSEN'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• 1. Combine butter, salt, sugar, hot water, hot potato water, and hot mashed potatoes into a bowl and stir until the butter melts.
• 2. In a separate bowl, combine the yeast with the warm water and allow time to activate. Add yeast mixture to the potato water mixture and stir. Stir in beaten eggs. Next, add flour to the water mixture, one cup at a time, stirring after each cup, until a soft dough forms.
• 3. Turn out onto a floured surface and start kneading until smooth, about seven minutes. Place dough into a greased bowl, turning o grease all sides. Cover, and let rise until double, about 1 hour.
• 4. Roll dough into a long rectangle and spread softened butter over top. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over top of dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, long way, and cut into 24 equal pieces. Place rolls into two 9x13 pans. Cover and let rise until double, about 30 minutes. Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
• 5. Let rolls cool for about 10 minutes. Combine frosting ingredients and spread over rolls.

CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to form a 15 by 7-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Spread 2/3 cup softened butter over dough and then evenly sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Starting at the long edge, roll up dough as for a jelly roll. Cut roll into 16 slices and then set aside in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Divide rolls among 2 lightly buttered round baking pans. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top. While the rolls are baking, combine the icing ingredients with an electric mixer until fluffy. Frost the warm rolls with the icing. Serve warm.