Cinnamon Rolls Farm Style

These cinnamon rolls are so wonderful!

Making cinnamon rolls requires a time commitment (about 3 hours from start to finish for this recipe.) But they are straight forward to make using a step by step process. They are a fun way and delicious way to get into making yeast breads. This recipe is adapted from a recipe in the book, Baking Bread by Beth Hensperger. I adjusted the recipe to make my perfect cinnamon roll. I like to have the nuts ground to a coarse meal consistency, providing for a consistent texture for the filling. I use a food processor to grind the nuts. If you prefer more crunch, using chopped nuts also works in this recipe. I also love the way cream cheese frosting completes these cinnamon rolls.

I use eggs from my free-range chickens. Their yolks are a deeper yellow than store bought eggs and give a yellow tint to the dough.

Cinnamon Rolls - Farm Style

Dough:

4 large farm fresh eggs

1 ½ cups warm water  (105 to 110f)

¼ cup sugar or honey

2 Tbsp (or 2 packets) active dry yeast

7 ½ to 8 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter at room temp cut into pieces

Filling:

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups ground pecans or walnuts

1/3 cup ground cinnamon

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

Frosting:

1 8oz package cream cheese at room temp (I like Cabot brand)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temp

2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 Tbsp water

11.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy. Stir in the warm water and honey or sugar. Add yeast and stir  until it dissolves. Set aside until foamy, about 15 minutes.

22.     In a large bowl, mix 7 ½ cups of flour, salt and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until a coarse meal is formed. A mixer with the paddle attachment works well for this. Add the egg mixture. Mix or stir until the soft dough just clears the sides of the bowl.

33.     Place the dough onto a work surface and knead about 3 minutes until smooth and springy. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cover and let rest 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

44.     Filling: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, ground nuts, and cinnamon. Melt butter in a second bowl or pot.

55.     Divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a large rectangle, ½ inch thick. Brush the surface with one half of the melted butter. Spread one half of the filling evenly over the rectangle. Roll up from the long side like a jelly roll. Pinch seams to seal. Slice into 1 inch pieces. Repeat with second half. Place at least 2 inches apart on greased or parchment lined baking sheets. Cover loosely with towels or plastic wrap. Let rise at room temp until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Pre-heat oven to 350f.

66.     Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, slightly underdone is better than overdone.

77.     Frosting: while the rolls are baking, in a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Add vanilla and 1 to 2 Tbsp water. Beat until light and fluffy. This should be like soft buttercream icing.

88.     Remove rolls from oven and using a metal knife or spatula, frost after 5 minutes. Let cool completely on pans. Enjoy fresh or freeze individually for later.