Snowy Day Cinnamon Rolls

These are my mom's FAMOUS cinnamon rolls that she would often make on a really snowy day. This recipe is the "mom's amazing cinnamon rolls for dummies" with pictures, diagrams, whatever it takes for me to remember how to make these without failure.

*Things I would like to try adding sometime: nuts, orange frosting, pecan frosting, craisins, etc.

Snowy Day Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe from Mom

2 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 Cup warm water
1 Cup mashed potatoes (use potato flakes)
1/2 Cup shortening
2 Cups scalded milk or hot water and powdered milk
2 Eggs
1 Cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
7 Cups Flour (approximately in the end)

In a small bowl or cup, add water and yeast (with a dash of sugar to help the yeast) and let rise for 10 minutes. In other small bowl or cup, make 1 cup mashed potatoes from potato flakes. In a large mixing bowl, mix together shortening, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and 4 cups of flour. Mix together.

*Mom's Tip: If you are using powdered milk then mix the dry milk with a cup of flour first because the milk doesn't tend to mix well in liquid alone. Then add the hot water after.

Add yeast and mashed potatoes. Continue adding flour (ends up to be approximately 3 more cups) until dough pulls away from edges and isn't too sticky (but better to be more sticky than have too much flour).

*Mom's Tip: Stick your finger to touch and if it doesn't stick to your finger any more then you are good.

Cover dough with Seran Wrap or cloth towel and let rise until double in size.

*Mom's Tip: To save on time, put the dough in the oven at the lowest possible temperature with the door slightly open to create a warm area to make the dough rise faster (100 degrees or so). Just be careful and check on it often to make sure the dough isn't cooking. Or you can put the dough in the fridge, covered, overnight and finish making them for breakfast the next morning.

After the dough has risen, flour some counter space and place the dough on the counter. Split dough into 2 equal parts. Put one part back in the bowl.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin (using flour so not to stick) to about the same size and shape of a regular cookie sheet. Then spread on butter and generously sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Then roll the dough from one side to the other and push in the sides to make it even in width with the rest of the roll. Using a piece of string or floss, guide the string under the roll to where you want to cut it. Cross the string ends at the top, pull together, and it cuts the roll.

*Mom's Tip: Below is a diagram of how my mom cuts the roll to make sure she gets just about the right sizes of cinnamon rolls. She first cuts the roll in half. Then she cuts the halves in half making fourths (four equal parts). Then from there cuts each fourth into three equal parts. (Man, I'm an ARTIST on the paint program...just kidding.)

You then put all the cinnamon rolls (makes 24 rolls) on a baking dish (I used two 9x12 pans but next time would have suggested a bigger size or even a cookie sheet), give them a little room to rise. Cover them with Seran Wrap or cloth towel and let rise again until double

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on the top.

Take out, let cool (but not completely), and frost (frosting recipe below).


Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe from Mom

1/2 bag of powdered sugar
Capful of vanilla extract
Small scoop of butter
Milk to desired consistancy

Yes, this is really how she told me to do it. It seems hard to mess up. Mix all together with a mixer. For cinnamon rolls, make frosting a little runnier than if making for cake or cookies.

It is obviously not hard to mess up this recipe because when I made them I didn't have milk left, only buttermilk. So, I used that. My mom even said that if you need to you could use water although it isn't as good as milk. I didn't measure anything out either (which is very unlike me because I am known for messing up things that supposedly "can't" be messed up.)....and it turned out great in the end.