Grandma Lillian's Cinnamon Rolls

People ask me all the time where I got my love for cooking. I sometimes have trouble knowing how to answer that question. Food has always been just a part of life. Most of what I know I learned from my mom and my grandma. Both of these women did what they needed to do on a daily basis to keep hungry people satisfied and well fed out on the Nebraska plains. Making good food was just what they did everyday, and it is still that way.

All that brings me to Grandma's cinnamon rolls. We always called them cinnamon rolls, but they are actually sticky rolls. Although I like an occasional cinnamon roll with frosting, this is really my favorite way to eat these cinnamon rolls. They are best warm with a little bit of butter and a cup of coffee at Grandma's kitchen table around 4:00 in the afternoon. Good ol' Nebraska coffee and cinnamon roll time. My grandparents and I could sit around for hours this way, just talking and telling stories, and eating cinnamon rolls. Grandma would even keep some in the freezer so that she could heat them up at a moments notice if we happened to stop by.

This recipe really makes a lot of cinnamon rolls. I usually use two 9x13 or 9x15 cake pans or a large jelly roll cookie sheet. How many cinnamon rolls you have will depend on how thick you cut the dough. You might have to adjust the size of the pans you use, so keep that in mind.

Cinnamon Rolls

For the cinnamon rolls:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, margarine, or shortening
2 packages yeast, about 4 1/2 teaspoons
1 cup warm water, (110° to 115°)
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 to 8 cups flour

8 to 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 to 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
cinnamon

For the caramel topping:
2 cups brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter

1. Begin by scalding the milk, or bringing it to about 185° F. You can do this on the stove in small sauce pan or in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. If you do it on the stove, stir constantly to keep the milk from scorching or forming a layer on the top, then remove from heat. Add the butter to the scalded milk so that the butter begins to melt.

2. In a separate small bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water and let stand for several minutes, until the yeast is softened. In another separate medium bowl, whisk together the salt, sugar and 3 cups of the flour.

3. Combine the milk mixture, the yeast mixture and the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture all at once, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Continue to mix with a wooden spoon and add 3 to 4 more cups of flour a little at a time until the dough starts to take shape and is only slightly sticky.

4. Next, knead the dough on a well floured surface for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, but be careful not to add too much more. Add a little at a time and keep in mind that the dough will be a little sticky. When the dough has been kneaded, transfer to a clean bowl that has been lightly oiled. Allow the dough to rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

5. While the dough is rising, make the caramel sauce for the rolls. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, water, corn syrup, vanilla and butter. Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Allow the caramel to boil for one minute, then remove from the heat. Pour immediately into the bottom of two 9x13 or 9x15 cake pans. You can also make the rolls in a jelly roll pan or round cake pans, if desired.

6. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down gently and divide the dough in half. (If you have limited counter space, you might want to divide it into thirds.) Roll out one section of the dough into a large rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface until about 1/2 inch thick. Take 4 to 6 tablespoons of the room temperature butter and spread it over the dough. Next, sprinkle with half of the brown sugar, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon.

7. Starting with the end closest to you, begin to roll the sheet of dough away from you until you have one large roll. Make sure the seam side of the dough is facing the counter, then you are ready to cut the cinnamon rolls. Cut the large roll of dough into approximately 2 inch pieces with a sharp knife or a piece of string or thread. If using the sting or thread, slide the string under the dough, then bring to the top and crisscross. The string allows you to make clean cuts without smashing the dough.

8. Set the rounds of dough in the pans with the caramel sauce. The dough should be set slightly apart in the pan. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

9. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the rolls to cool for a few minutes, then flip onto a heat proof tray or cookie sheet. Slowly remove the cake pan and allow the caramel rolls to cool. Enjoy!

*Note: Since this recipe makes so many rolls at once, you can also put a pan in the freezer if you do not want to bake them right away. After cutting the rolls and placing them in the pan, cover them well with plastic  wrap and foil and put them in the freezer. I usually get them out of the freezer to rise about 4 hours before I want to bake them.