Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Maple Cinnamon Rolls

Who doesn't love a soft fluffy cinnamon roll?  I use my grilled pizza dough  recipe as a starter.  Did she just say, "pizza dough?"  Yes, yes I did!  It's the same exact dough!  I use pure maple syrup and no butter in the center of these delicious rolls.  It's a nice flavor change and I am sure there are some calories saved.

Maple Cinnamon Rolls (makes approximately 24 large rolls plus some leftover ends)  

                                                                                                                        Printable Recipe

2-1/2 cups warm water
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
8-1/2 cups flour (I use 6 cups bread flour and 2-1/2 cups fine ground wheat)

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

5-6 Tablespoons corn starch
cinnamon

favorite frosting recipe (mine has butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or you can use cooled coffee and I don't measure anything when I make it for rolls)


Add eggs, water, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs, and yeast in large bowl.
Mix with whisk until shortening is pulverized.
Add wheat flour and whisk.
Add rest of flour and mix. You will have "Hulk" fingers but soon it will....
all blend into a nice ball with a little bit of kneading. You can also use your mixer if it has a dough hook. Place in greased bowl and cover.
Let rise for one hour. It will almost double in size.

Cut dough in half.  On large floured area roll out to 24" long and about 15" or so inches wide.
Drizzle on half of the maple syrup. 
Sprinkle on some cinnamon.  Use as much as you like.  They are called CINNAMON rolls, right?!
Using a sieve, sprinkle on half of the cornstarch.  You don't have to use a sieve but it will go on a little more evenly. The cornstarch will help thicken the syrup so it doesn't all run out when it is baking.
Using a spoon, mix it all together and spread all over but not quite to edge on the far side.
If you are adding nuts, sprinkle them on now. 
Roll it up. As you roll, since this is a stretchy soft dough, you can pull on it a little bit.  This will help you get many rings in your cinnamon roll and keep your rolls tight.  When you get to the edge pinch it shut. It will be longer than the 24" you need but that is OK.  I'll tell you what to do with the extra.


Now you are ready to cut your cinnamon rolls.  I found the center and started from there.  That way I had nice pieces and only the ends would be odd shaped.  Using a piece of thread, scootch it under the dough, pull up, criss-cross, pull and it will cut your rolls without smashing them like a knife would.  Move over 2" and do the same.  You should have 12 nice pieces total.  6 on each side of center. When you get to the ends they will be a little thinner so you can go  a little shorter.  Since they aren't as nice you can either toss them or do what I did.  I put all these goodies in their own baking dish, baked them, and we ate them anyway! They still taste as good.
Stand the rolls face up on a greased baking dish/pan. I used a 9 x 13" pan and put 12 in each. I could have put them closer but I know these really expand and I wanted to let them have their full potential! Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.  Turn oven on to 350 degrees.  (Allowing them to rise while the oven preheats.)
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and only slightly give when you press on them. If they have a bit of flour on it you can use a pastry brush and dust them off or leave it and the frosting will cover it.
You can frost while warm and the frosting will run down the sides or wait until they are cool to frost.  Your choice! For the ones with pecans I sprinkled a few on top of the frosting so I knew which pan was which. 
We love these fresh but if you are eating them another day you can pop them in the microwave to warm them up.  They'll taste like they are fresh out of the oven!

17 comments:

  1. Wouldn't these be yummy on Christmas! Thanks for sharing your diy & recipe. Theresa @DearCreatives

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  2. They definitely look yummy. I'd eat them here and there. I'd eat them any where. :)

    Thanks for sharing. Just stopping by from Craft Frenzy Friday. Have a great weekend.

    Oh, and I pinned it.

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  3. Yum! Might have to make these for Christmas morning. Wondering if I can get away with closer to half wheat with white whole wheat flour. I'd hate to make them too heavy though, so maybe the first time I'll go with your combo and try it again in a couple of months with more whole wheat.

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    1. I think it depends on your flour. I have coarse wheat and fine wheat. I mix mine half and half. I think you could ease into more wheat if it is finer. My honey wheat bread I make is more wheat than white and still fluffy (not quite as it was when it was more white than wheat but still good!)

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  4. let me grab a glass of milk and I will be right over! Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. Wishing you a lovely Sunday and a very Merry Christmas♥

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  5. I would never have thought about using pizza dough but I have used crescent roll dough for both pizza and cinnamon rolls so why not. Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party! Hope to see you again Thursday at 7PM.

    Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.

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    1. It's a sweeter pizza dough so I think it works her. Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Maple cinnamon rolls sound SO good!!

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  7. Oh, these look so good! I love cinnamon rolls!! Thanks for sharing at Saturday Night Fever - pinning this now!

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  8. Jenny,
    Thanks for linking this lovely recipe to #GetHimFed No. 29. I'm featuring your recipe on #GetHimFed No. 30. Hope you link up this week too.
    Annamaria

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  9. Wow, they look amazing, Jenny! I bookmark the recipe for later. Also pinning :)

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  10. These look wonderful, Jenny! Your step by step instructions make it look easy - I can't wait to try them!

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