I make the dough from my mother's recipe for bread. It makes two loaves of bread or a big pan of cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients for dough and filling:
2 cups warm water (warm, not hot)
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (approximately)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of cinnamon
Ingredients for icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
(cream cheese is optional, if omitted, use a little more milk instead)
1/4 cup of butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon of milk (or more as desired)
For the dough:
In a small bowl, place about 1/2 cup of the warm water, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the packet of yeast. Let sit for about 10 minutes to activate...it will begin foaming a little.
In a large bowl combine salt, remaining sugar, remaining water, vegetable oil, and the yeast mixture. Gradually add in about 4 cups of the flour, mixing with your hand between additions, scraping the sides of bowl to incorporate all the flour. If the dough is too loose and sticky, gradually add in a little more flour at a time until it is smooth and pliable. Lightly flour your counter top, and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Flour your hands, and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes, adding in a little more flour if needed until it feels rather light and smooth and not sticky. Butter a glass bowl, and put the dough in it, turning the ball of dough to let a little butter coat its surface. Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and set it in a warm part of the kitchen.
While the dough is rising, stir together well brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
After about 30 minutes, the dough should be approximately double in size. Punch down the risen dough, and turn it out onto a floured counter. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about a 12" x 18" rectangle.
Spread dough with 1/4 cup of soft butter, then spread with about 1/4 cup sour cream. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the entire rectangle of dough, and starting on the long side, roll it as evenly as possible until it is rolled and seam side down.
Lightly grease a pastry scraper or chef's knife and cut the roll into 1" slices. Place the spirals onto a large buttered baking pan, leaving a little room between the spirals. Top with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray so the dough won't stick to the plastic. Let rise for about 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325. Remove the plastic from the rolls, and bake for about 20 minutes, turning the pan after about 12 minutes so they bake evenly. They should be just lightly browned.
For the icing, mix together the softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. If you want to thin it slightly, you can add a Tablespoon of milk at a time until it is the consistency you desire. Spread it evenly over the cinnamon rolls while still warm.
