Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry or instant yeast
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup warm water (I sometimes use pasta water here)
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4-5 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon

Icing

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• ~2 tbsp water

Method

• Dissolve yeast in 2 tbsp warm water in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.
• While waiting, combine the milk powder, sugar, salt, and 4 cups of the flour in a separate bowl.
• When yeast mixture is foamy, add the dry ingredients, eggs, melted butter, and warm water. Mix until a dough begins to form; if you need more flour to develop a ragged dough, add it.
• If using a stand mixer, keep kneading with the dough hook until a smooth, silky dough forms, about 15 minutes. If mixing by hand, turn dough out onto a floured board or countertop and knead until you have a smooth dough that comes off the counter on its own and starts to hold its shape. This will take a while; if you need more flour, add it.
• Put the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, and cover and leave in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
• While dough is rising, grease a 15x9 inch baking pan or 12 inch skillet. Also use this time to combine the cinnamon and 1 cup white sugar.
• Once dough has risen, turn out onto a floured board or countertop and knead for 1 minute. Roll into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
• Brush the dough with 2 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly.
• Roll up the dough like a spiral or jelly roll. If you roll it starting from the short side, you will get fewer cinnamon rolls that are larger, but if you roll it starting from the long side, you will get more cinnamon rolls that are smaller.
• Cut the dough into 12-16 slices and place into the baking pan/skillet, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes.
• About 30 minutes into the second rise, preheat the oven to 375° F. Once the rise is complete, bake for 35-40 minutes.
• While the rolls are baking, beat together 2 tbsp softened butter, 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 2 tbsp water to make an icing. If you need a little more water to make a runnier icing, add it. Once the rolls are done, and while they are still warm, add the icing on top.

Notes

This recipe was sent to me by my aunt after she found it in an older recipe book in someone's house in Iowa. Based on the small amount of information I have to go off from the photo she sent me, I would guess that the recipe comes from the now-closed Anchor Inn in Farragut, Iowa. The original calls for "potato water", or the water left over after boiling potatoes, but I either substitute pasta water for the starch content or just use regular water. The original also uses half as much cinnamon, but I enjoy the stronger taste of this version.