Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch

If Ive heard it once, Ive heard it a dozen times: "Make homemade cinnamon rolls From scratch Are you crazy That takes all day!"

Actually, it depends upon the recipe.

I have several recipes for homemade cinnamon rolls that do, indeed, take at least all afternoon, if not all day -- scald the milk and let it cool to room temperature 30 minutes; mix the dough and let it raise for an hour 1.5 hours; punch down the dough and let it raise for another hour 1 hour; shape into cinnamon rolls and let raise for another hour 1.5 hours; and then, finally, bake the cinnamon rolls 30 minutes -- for a grand total of 5 hours from start to finish.

But it doesnt have to be that way. You really can make homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch in two hours or less.

Heres my recipe:

• 2 cups of warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons dry yeast or two packages of dry yeast
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Canola oil I use Canola, but you can use any kind of cooking oil you can also use shortening, if you prefer
• 6 to 7 cups of flour

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for a minute or two. Add the sugar and salt. Mix. Add the cooking oil or shortening, 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour and beat until smooth.

Stir in 3 more cups of flour. Begin kneading the dough, adding the final cup of flour. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in more flour, a quarter to a half cup at a time.

Let the dough "rest" for 15 to 20 minutes. I leave it sitting on the counter and use the time to wash up the bowl and other utensils and to clean off the counter top.

Roll the dough into a rectangle thats 24 to 30 inches long by about 16 inches wide. Spread with soft butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Starting at the wide end, roll into a log.

Cut the cinnamon rolls into equal sized slices approximately one inch wide each or slightly more and place into two greased 9x13 pans. Put in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out of the pans.

This recipes makes two dozen cinnamon rolls. If you want REALLY BIG cinnamon rolls, cut into 12 equal pieces 2 inches wide.

Total amount of time needed from start to finish including time to bake is about 2 hours.

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