Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls

The aroma of cinnamon rolls baking on a Sunday morning makes me nostalgic for my younger days. Growing up, we always had cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Sunday. I could paint a pretty happy-family picture for you here, but to be honest, they were cinnamon rolls out of a tube, my brothers always fought over the crustless middle one, and there was general groan at the table from us kids when Mom mentioned going to church afterwards. However, the nostalgia remains.


Whether cinnamon rolls remind you of happy family moments or maybe just bad pre-flight choices at an airport CinnaBon, their aroma is reason enough to make them.

These are from scratch, and I'm not going to lie to you, there are a few steps in the process. However, most of the prep can be done the evening before; just slow the dough rise by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.

Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from The Bread Bible by Beth Hensperger

Dough
3/4 cup potato puree (boil 1 peeled russet potato until soft, puree in food processor with 2 tablespoons butter)
1 cup reserved warm potato cooking water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 - 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 - 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Glaze
1 - 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Milk

Add the 1/4 cup warm water to a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar on surface of the water. Swirl to mix and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine pureed potato, warm potato water, yeast mixture, brown sugar, oil, egg, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Beat hard to combine, then add remaining flour until a dough forms that clears the sides of the bowl. Switch to a dough hook and knead dough for a few minutes until smooth and springy (or knead by hand).

Place dough in greased container, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes. Gently deflate dough and let rise again until doubled, about 60 minutes.

Gently deflate dough and divide into two equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 10"x14" rectangle. Brush surface with melted butter and sprinkle each rectangle with half the sugar and cinnamon, leaving a 1" border on edges. Starting on long side, roll the dough up and pinch seams closed. With a serrated knife, cut each roll crosswise into 8 or 9 equal portions, about 1" or 1 - 1/2" thick.

Place each portion at least 1" apart on a baking sheet or pan lined with parchment paper. Press each gently to flatten the swirl slightly. Let rise until puffy, about 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and firm.

Prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar with milk, using 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until reaching a pourable consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls and serve.