Anyone got a good cinnamon roll recipe?

[camlan]

Someone just gave me a jar of special, imported cinnamon, and I'd like to try making cinnamon rolls with it. It smells heavenly.

In the past, my cinnamon rolls have tasted okay. But they've been really hard on top, no matter how I adjust the temperature or time.

So if anyone has a recipe that will yield nice, soft cinnamon buns, would you pretty please share?

[Outdoor Girl]

I don't make cinnamon rolls but I do make chelsea buns.  Basically bread dough with a little extra sugar, rolled out flat, buttered, sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins and then put them in pans that have been well greased, sprinkled with brown sugar, dotted with pecans and glazed cherries.

They aren't soft like Pilsbury or Cinnabon, though.  They are definitely more bread like.

[artk2002]

I have one, but it's fairly long. Searching on the web, I found a copy here. It's from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice, my go-to bread baking book. The recipe can be used for cinnamon rolls or sticky buns -- the glaze for the sticky buns is amazing.

For softer tops, you may want to put some foil over your rolls for the last few minutes of baking. That's a standard technique for preventing over-done tops.

[doodlemor]

Here is my recipe for [Swedish] cinnamon bun dough to go in the bread machine:   
     [Trivia: October 4 is National Cinnamon Bun Day in Sweden, Kanelbullens Dag.]

Put into machine in order given:

1 c milk or half and half
1/2 c butter, very soft
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 c flour
6 tbles sugar
1/2 teas salt
1 tbles bread machine yeast
optional:  1 1/2 teas cardamom

Set on *dough* cycle.

When ready divide into 2 balls, roll out, brush with butter, sprinkle with white or brown sugar, cinnamon [clove optional.]  Roll up and cut into each roll into 12 buns.  Bake.

Here is a link to a really pretty way to shape the buns, if you want to try something a little different.

http://blogs.sweden.se/food/2011/07/28/swedish-cinnamon-buns/

I usually cook my buns a bit cooler than some recipes say, around 350 degrees.  The buns in the picture in the link were cooked at 450 degrees.  Perhaps the lower temp keeps the tops softer.

I also have been putting an egg wash and Swedish peal sugar on top, and have been cooking them the Swedish way using cupcake liners [Reynolds foil liners.]  The extra sugar stays in the little cup when it melts, leaving more sugar in the bun and less mess on the cookie sheet.

If you want to try the sugar topping and can't get the pearl sugar, I've read that you can smash sugar cubes to a nice size in a bag with a rolling pin.

Have fun experimenting with your special cinnamon, Camlan, and enjoy the results.

[Sebastienne]

The last time I made cinnamon rolls, I also used Peter Reinhart's recipe.  The man is a genius (see also: Peter Reinhart's pizza dough recipe).

The one twist, which may or may not be amazing, depending on your palate:  I added 3 slices of cherrywood bacon (cooked, crumbled) to the cinnamon/sugar filling (not on top!).  These were possibly the best thing we've ever consumed, but if you don't love bacon or sweet/salty, they might not be to your taste.

[sweetonsno]

Try brushing the tops with butter after they rise in the pan and before you put them in the oven.

[beakiebean]

I use this recipe from allrecipes.com. It's our families favorite and always gets lots of requests.

Clone of a Cinnabon
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
 
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened
 
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

[artk2002]

The last time I made cinnamon rolls, I also used Peter Reinhart's recipe.  The man is a genius (see also: Peter Reinhart's pizza dough recipe).

Which one?    We alternate between the Roman and the Neo Neapolitan, but there are a couple more in American Pie that I want to try.

[hyzenthlay]

I have one, but it's fairly long. Searching on the web, I found a copy here. It's from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice, my go-to bread baking book. The recipe can be used for cinnamon rolls or sticky buns -- the glaze for the sticky buns is amazing.

For softer tops, you may want to put some foil over your rolls for the last few minutes of baking. That's a standard technique for preventing over-done tops.

I have the same book and LOVE the roll recipe! I've used it may times and never noticed tops being too hard, but I always add a bit of butter to melt onto my rolls, and I make a quick powedred sugar/vanilla/milk topping for everyone else to use. So it's possible the tops are a bit hard and we just don't notice 

[SportsFan88]

I've always been a big fan of the Pioneer Women's recipe. The maple frosting is to die for.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/