CARMEL GAITHER’S CINNAMON ROLLS

Post date: Feb 20, 2013 1:30:20 AM

Ingredients:

3 pkgs. of rapid rise yeast

8 ½-9 cups plain flour (divided)

2 tsp. salt

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs – beaten

1/3 cup oil

3 T. cinnamon

¾ cup brown sugar

½ stick butter or margarine

1 lb. box powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Warm a large glass mixing bowl (4 qt bowl) in microwave for 2 minutes. Pour 2 cups lukewarm water into the bowl. Add 3 packages of rapid rise yeast and let sit for 5 minutes without mixing. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is just about dissolved. Mix in 4 cups of plain flour. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, ½ cup sugar, 2 beaten eggs, and 1/3 cup oil and mix well. Add another 2 ½-3 cups of flour. Place the bowl in warm dry place away from air flow (like in the oven or microwave that is turned off) for 1 ½ hour – 2 hours until the dough rises to about double in size.

In meantime, prepare the filling by combining 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, and ¾ cup brown sugar in a small bowl and mix together well, making sure brown sugar is broken apart and mixed in well. You can use a fork to mix this. Set aside.

To prepare the icing: melt ½ stick butter or margarine. Add 1 pound of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and about 1/8 cup water and stir. If this isn’t of drizzle consistency, you need to add a little more water. Set aside.

Once dough has risen, put about 2 cups flour out on the counter and pour dough onto pile of flour. Work in just enough flour so dough isn’t too sticky and handle, but don’t handle too much, and don’t work in too much flour. Then rub the rolling pin down with flour and roll dough out as far as you can into a rectangle. Dough should be about 1/8 inch thick and will be about 24 X 14 inches. Brush dough with soft margarine and use as much margarine as you want. The more the better! Sprinkle the filling across the dough. Roll the dough across the long end so you have a roll that’s about 24 inches in length. Seal edges by pinching dough together slightly. Slice the roll into 1 inch slices and place in greased baking pan. (Carmel’s pan was about 12 X 16 inches, so you may have to use 2 regular oblong baking pans.) Place in a dry unheated oven to rise for another hour or two until double or triple in size. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Drizzle with icing.

Enjoy!