Mesa Mission Cinnamon Rolls

By Erinswan

Mesa Mission Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups luke-warm water
• 2 Tbsp dry active yeast
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 7 1/2 cups flour
• FILLING
• 1/2 cup salted butter or margarine (softened, not melted)
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• ICING
• 1 pkg (2 lb) powdered sugar
• 1 heaping Tbsp shortening
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• dash of salt
• 8 Tbsp. milk (or enough to reach desired consistency)

Details

Adapted from penniesandpancakes.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, or standing mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let set 10 minutes. Mix in the beaten eggs, shortening, flour, and salt. Knead until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic (6-8 minutes). Cover, and let rise 10 minutes. Punch down. Repeat rising and punching 3 times.

While the dough is rising, make the cinnamon-sugar filling. In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, and softened butter. Set aside.

Grease two large cookie sheets (jelly-roll pans). Set aside.

Coat a clean surface with non-stick cooking spray. Roll out the dough into a rectangle approx. 32"x18". Using a spoon or your hand, spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture to cover the dough completely. Starting at one of the 32" sides of the dough rectangle, tightly roll the dough to form a 32" long cylinder. Slide a piece of thread underneath the rolled up dough, 1 inch. Crossing the ends of the thread over the dough, pull both sides of the thread as you would when tightening a knot. The string will cut cleanly through the dough. Place the cut roll onto the greased pan, pinching the end seam into the side of the roll, so that it won't come apart as it rises. Continue the process, evenly spacing 15 rolls on each pan (3X5 per pan). There will be lots of space between each roll. Cover and let rise 45 minutes, or until the sides of the rolls touch each other.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While the oven is heating, and the rolls are rising, make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar, shortening, salt, and milk with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. When smooth, add the vanilla, and mix for 30 seconds.

When rolls have finished rising, bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool 10 minutes. Spread icing over warm rolls that will be eaten immediately. Store extra rolls and icing in airtight containers on the counter for 5 days, in the fridge for 10 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.

Enjoy!