Freshly baked cinnamon rolls are always a hit any time of year.
We have a tradition in our house; Christmas morning we always have homemade cinnamon rolls on the table for breakfast. Christmas breakfast is a pretty big deal. My mom always sets the table the night before. It always looks beautiful and festive.
The actual breakfast is a sit down affair with all 20+ of us. On the menu: eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, homemade hot chocolate, coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, and homemade danish. Sometimes the menu will vary slightly. But I don't think there has ever been a year without the sweet rolls.
On the years we don't travel to my parents' house for Christmas, I bake these for our breakfast too.
Cinnamon rolls are my mom's specialty! These do double duty for other special occasions...Easter, family events...or any other time she feels like baking. We often bake these the day before a big breakfast.
On Christmas morning, they are wrapped in foil and heated in the oven for about 15 minutes. If you are reheating before serving, add the glaze after they are reheated.
Making cinnamon rolls is fun - .especially the rolling out part! I try to roll as thin as possible so I can get as much cinnamon and sugar in there as possible.
This isn't a really sweet dough. I let all the sweetness come from the cinnamon sugar and the glaze.
Are you a glazed cinnamon roll person, or an un-glazed? I'm all about the glaze...as long as it is thin!
I don't want a thick frosting to overshadow the cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll is the star here - the glaze is just a supporting flavor!
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Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (warmed)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast (or one package)
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- ½ cup butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 ½ cups all purpose flour
Filling
- ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter (melted)
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 Tablespoons milk.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add milk, yeast and sugar. Let sit 5-10 minutes until yeast is bubbly.
- Add eggs, butter, salt and 2 cups of flour. Mix
- With mixer running, continue adding flour 1 cup at a time. You might not need all the flour.
- Knead for 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
- Place in a well greased bowl and cover.
- Let stand until doubled, 60-90 minutes.
- Punch down and place on a flat surface.
Forming the Rolls
- Roll out into a 12 x 18" rectangle.
- Brush with melted butter
- Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. Sprinkle entire mixture on top of rolled dough.
- Roll dough into a log and seal seam.
- Cut into 1" slices and place in a greased baking dish.
- Let rise 30-45 minutes
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Let cool in dish slightly in baking dish.
- Mix glaze ingredients together and pour over baked cinnamon rolls while still slightly warm.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in December 2015. The pictures have been updated.
Auntie von says
So good and tender. I usually make cin rolls out of my bread dough but these are a real treat.
Kathy says
Thank you! 🙂
Lucie says
Such a beautiful recipe, just a quick question. I live in England and was wondering if you could give me the amounts in grams and what type of sugar do you use for the roll? Thank you so much.
Kathy says
Hi Lucie,
Thanks so much! These are one of my families favorites and we make them again and again. The sugar is white granulated sugar. I am afraid I don't have a way to convert and display grams in my recipe. I did find this web site that may be helpful. I hope it works! Thanks 🙂
[email protected] says
such a classic..love them! wishing you a very happy new year Kathy..
Cheryl says
Yum! I was just thinking this morning that I want to make cinnamon rolls too. Maybe put them together tomorrow afternoon.
Kathy says
That's my plan! Merry Christmas!!!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
I make an insanely huge Christmas breakfast every year but always serve sweet breads with it (pumpkin, cranberry orange, and lemon poppy seed). Forget the breads, I'm making your cinnamon rolls this year!
Kathy says
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas...and a scrumptious breakfast!