Linda Kaufman's Cinnamon Rolls

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• 1/2 C (1 stick) margarine (or butter), cut into cubes
• 1 C milk
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 t salt
• 2 packets fast-rising yeast
• 2 eggs eggs, beaten
• 7 C unbleached all-purpose flour (carefully measured with a scoop or spoon to add the flour to the measuring cup, then leveling off with the back of a table knife.)
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• + FILLING
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• 5 T butter, melted, plus more for greasing
• + FROSTING
• 3 T butter, softened
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t almond flavoring
• 1/4 C milk, as needed

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from luckypeach.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the dough: Place the margarine in a large bowl. Combine the milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan, and heat over medium heat until tiny bubbles start forming around the edges. Pour the mixture over the margarine and stir gently until melted. Let cool.
2

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup lukewarm water and the yeast (add a pinch of sugar to the bowl to help it proof). Once the yeast mixture begins to bubble, stir in the eggs.
3

Stir the yeast mixture into the milk mixture until combined. Gradually add the flour and the nutmeg, reserving the last half-cup of flour. The dough will come together and be soft and pillowy, even a little sticky.
4

Knead for 1–2 minutes, just until the dough becomes smooth. Wash the bowl, oil it, and return the dough to it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
5

Make the filling: Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
6

Divide the dough in half and liberally flour the surface of the table or counter. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to a rectangle approximately 16 by 10 inches and 3/4 inch thick. Using a spoon, spread half of the melted butter across the surface. Take half the cinnamon mixture and sprinkle it evenly over the surface. Carefully tuck the bottom (long) edge in and gently roll up the rectangle.
7

Using a sharp knife, cut 3/4-inch rounds. (If you are my mother, you will always end up with 14 rolls, though this may take a few decades of practice.) Place the nub end at the center, then arrange the rolls around, with the seam pointed at the center. This is critical if you don’t want blown-out, hideous rolls.
8

Repeat with the second half of the dough and filling. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes, until they’re just starting to look puffy.

Heat the oven to 400°F. Bake in two batches for 20–25 minutes, until the edges and tops are light brown.

Make the frosting: In a small bowl, mix the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the milk a tablespoon or two at a time, stirring vigorously, until the frosting becomes thick and smooth. (You may not need all the milk.)