Home-Baked Cinnamon Rolls: A Perfect Christmas-Morning Treat

Christmas morning is always filled with anticipation and delight. And nothing sets the stage for the day's festivities more than a big, warm cinnamon roll fresh from your oven. These are the very best rolls I have ever made. Surprisingly easy to make, they will become a Christmas classic in your home. To make things easy, you can prepare these delicious rolls the day before,right up to their second rising. Simply wrap and place in the refigerator. They'll keep on rising overnight. On Christmas morning, simply remove and bring to room temperature, before baking in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. You can frost these, but we find them so rich and satisfying, frosting is almost too much. If you have a stand mixer and bread machine your prep time will be cut in half.

I don't use yeast packets, but buy my yeast by the jar, which is more economical and to me at least, the yeast is far more active. Though the recipe doesn't call for the use of citrus, I add about 3 tsp of freshly grated orange zest, and the juice of a small fresh orange while the mixer works the last 2 cups of flour into the dough. The first time I made these, I made a mistake and added the full two sticks of butter to the cinnamon sugar filling. It worked out perfectly. Instead of using almost a full stick of melted butter to grease the pans, the thin layer of buttery cinnamoned sugar, created an awesome flavor from the bottom up. If you choose to add raisins or currants, soak them in vanilla or orange juice to soften them. The flavor is outstanding

Ingredients:

Dough

6-7 C flour- more if needed, to equal 8 C

2 lightly beaten eggs

3T active dry yeast

2/3 C sugar + 1 tsp.

1C warm water

1C warm milk

1 1/3 sticks butter

2 tsp. salt

Combine yeast, water and 1 tsp. sugar. Stir and set aside.

In your mixers work bowl combine the milk, 2/3C sugar, butter, salt and eggs. Blend thoroughly. Add the yeast plus 3-3 1/2C flour and blend in, stopping as needed to scrape flour of the sides of the bowl. At this point you can add grated orange zest and the juice from a small orange.Continue adding remaining flour, reserving the final cup for your bread machine.

Set your bread machine on the knead and rise cycle, sometimes called the dough cycle. Add the final 1 cup of flour into the container, then add the fresh dough. While the dough is being kneaded, you can prepare your filling.

Filling

2 sticks of butter melted

1 3/4C sugar

3T good quality ground cinnamon

Nuts or raisins if desired.

Saving back if desired, 1/2 of the melted butter, brush the dough with butter, and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar blend. I simply combined the butter into the cinnamon mixture and applied the wet filling over the dough. I also use some to grease the bottom of my pans, which gave these rolls an awesome boost. After the dough has been kneaded and risen, turn out onto a floured surface and roll out into a 15 x 20 inch rectangle. Or, you can cut the dough in half and create smaller rolls. Apply the filling and roll up the dough carefully, pinching the ends to seal. Cut the rolls in equal slices and place snugly together in your pans. You can use any leftover cinnamon mixture to brush the tops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This whole process took me less than 1 hour start to finish.

In the morning remove the rolls and bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. These are better than anything you caqn buy out there, aqnd their texture is soft, flaky and really delicious. Set out hot chocolate, teas and coffee, and enjoy your Christmas morning.