Cinnamon Rolls

How many of you love baking?  Well, I sure do.  I like anything from scones and quick breads, cakes and pies to focaccia and whole wheat bread.  If I have the time, my favorite is to do a yeast bread.  Working with individual ingredients, seeing them come together, and then having a finished product – or the feel of the dough as you reach the perfect consistency from kneading and finally the smell of bread in the oven.  Well, that is just about the best thing ever. . . well, almost!!

But every now and then a person has to take a short cut.  I don’t mean the variety of purchasing some ready made dough in the freezer section or something from a can that “pops” open when hit on the side of the counter, I mean a short cut to a real yeast dough.

A friend brought some cinnamon rolls to a meeting a few months back, and they were sure a hit.  In commenting on how good they were she shared with me the dough was made partially in the blender.  Really!!!

I was intrigued.  Maybe you have all heard of this before but I sure hadn’t.  She was happy to share the recipe. 

But, it wasn’t until this busy holiday season that I pulled the recipe out and tried some.  Well, let me tell you – if you have a blender in the kitchen, you have no excuse for not having fresh cinnamon rolls on your counter.  Or for that matter, just make them into dinner rolls.

Give them a try some Saturday or Sunday or actually any day of the week.  They are just as I said – quick!!

Hope you enjoy them as much as my family has.  Ring in the New Year with some homemade cinnamon rolls . . . enjoy!

 Easy Cinnamon Rolls 

Place in blender:

    1 cup luke warm water

    1 pkg. yeast

    2 T. sugar

Let stand for 2 minutes and then blend for 20-30 seconds.

Add to blender mixture:

    1/2 cup oil

    1 egg

    1/4 cup sugar

Blend until foamy and set aside.

Place in a large bowl the following:

    3 cups flour

    1 t. salt

Make a well in the middle of the flour:

    Add contents of blender mixture to the flour and mix with spoon.

    Set aside to rise (double in volume) about 1 to 1  1/2 hours.

After rising, place 1/2 cup flour on the dough and knead  while in the bowl.  The dough is very soft so don’t worry.  Take out and knead just 6 or 7 times with another 1/4 cup of flour.

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Roll out into a 10 X 15 rectangle and spread 1/2 cup softened butter on dough.  Then sprinkle with a mixture of 1 cup white sugar mixed with 1 Tblsp. cinnamon.  Add on top of that 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1-2 Tblsp. cinnamon depending on how much you like cinnamon.

Roll the dough into a log from the long end and cut into 1 1/4   inch pieces.  Place in greased 9 X 13  pan and bake at 350 for 22-27 minutes.

Let set a few minutes and then remove from pan to platter. 

Happy Baking!

Julie

We linked up this recipe with Sweet as Sugar Cookies and her sweets link party.  Check it out for lots of yummy recipes!