"Snow Day" Cinnamon Rolls

Today was a snow day (again) and so keeping with our tradition we started last year we made our favorite homemade Cinnamon rolls. I "shop" online for recipes all the time and I have to say that this one from pioneer woman's site is the best find of all.

To make these golden beauties start with a big pot. I use my stock pot. Add 1 quart milk (pw says to use whole milk but I just use 2% or whatever we have.) Next, add 1 cup veg. oil and 1 cup sugar.
Then "scald" the mixture. (heat just before the boiling point) Turn off the heat and leave to cool for 45 mins.

Add 2 pkgs Active Dry Yeast and let it sit for a couple mins.


Add 8 cups of all purpose flour. Stir together. Cover. Let sit 1 hour.
Go do about 1000 crunches and squats in preparation for gobbling up one of these heaven sent mounds of goodness.
After one hour add one more cup of flour along with 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 "scant" (less than a full) tsp baking soda, and 1 heaping Tbsp of salt. Stir.


Sprinkle surface generously w/flour. Take 1/2 the dough and form a rough rectangle. Roll the dough thin. Drizzle 1 1/2 cups melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over dough. Follow up w/ a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Roll the dough in a neat line toward you. Pinch the seam to seal it.

Cut rolls 1" thick and place in well greased or buttered pan. Let them rise in the pan for 30 minutes before you bake them at 400' for 15 min or till light golden brown. (while these are rising you can make up the other half of the dough and place them into pans to rise)


While the first batch is baking I make up a yummy maple/coffee icing.
To a mixing bowl add: 1-2 lb bag of powdered sugar, 2tsp maple flavoring, 1/2 c. milk, 1/4 c. melted butter, 1/4 c. brewed coffee, and 1/8 tsp salt. Stir w/ a whisk. Should be thick but pourable.


Drizzle icing over warm rolls. Try to wait a couple minutes before you dive in. You'll burn your tongue.
(oh, and this makes a bunch of rolls...share some with your friends)