Cinnamon Rolls

As many of you know, we recently moved into our new home in New York City and this will be our first holiday season here. It feels so special to be warming our new environment with holiday moments.

I was fortunate to partner with Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove (I am a longtime fan of their products), and they asked me to be a part of their “Kitchen Therapy” initiative. I found it to be really interesting – the idea of cooking as therapy – especially after learning that 95% of Americans find comfort in cooking, and it made me think just how much solace I find in the kitchen.

When I make a recipe like these cinnamon rolls, not only am I connecting with past memories, but also taking time to enjoy the process.  I spend about 10 minutes or so kneading the dough (I highly recommend doing this by hand instead of with the stand mixer –it gives a better texture to the dough), and during that time, I am forced to disconnect from everything else.  You can’t take a break to return a text message with dough all over your hands! I know this time of year can be difficult for some – I used to get the holiday blues in the past — and cooking can provide a sense of calm in the chaos.

I hope you enjoy this recipe with your loved ones.  It makes me so happy when I hear from my followers that one of my recipes has become a holiday tradition on their table, so if you make these cinnamon rolls, please tag me in your pics or send me a DM.

Warm wishes —

Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe Courtesy of Katie Lee Biegel, It's Not Complicated

Level: Easy

Prep time: 25 minutes

Total time: 6 hours 15 minutes

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

For the rolls

• 1/4 cup warm water
• One 1 1/4-ounce package instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup or more as needed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the icing

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk or orange juice

Directions

For the cinnamon rolls

1. 1) In a small bowl, mix the ¼ cup warm water with the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside for about 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble slightly. (If the mixture does not start to thicken and bubble slightly, the yeast is not working. Check the expiration date on the yeast and start over.)
2. 2) In a large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, the egg, oil and salt. Mix in the cold water and then the boiling water. (I know this sounds odd but it’s how my grandma did it and I’ve done it with just warm water and it does not work the same way. Go figure, grandmas just know best.) Add in the yeast mixture and stir until well blended. Gradually mix in 4 cups of flour until incorporated.
3. 3) Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and begin to knead. Add in 1/2 cup flour or more as needed so the dough isn't too sticky. I usually knead the dough anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes, until it is very elastic-feeling. Put the dough into a clean large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until until doubled in size, about 3 hours.
4. 4) Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter using a pastry brush.
5. 5) Punch down the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle about 20 by 10 inches, with the long edge facing you. Using the pastry brush, spread 1/4 cup of the melted butter over the top of the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough. Roll up the dough, starting with the long edge facing you, into a tight cylinder. Gently squeeze the cylinder to seal it. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 even rounds. Place the rounds, cut-side down, into the prepared baking dish. There will be some space in between the rounds. Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap (at this point the cinnamon rolls can be placed in the refrigerator overnight then continue with recipe before baking) and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. 6) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls until golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

For the icing

1. 7) For the icing: Meanwhile, mix the confectioners' sugar with the milk in a small bowl. When the rolls come out of the oven, drizzle the icing over the hot rolls. Serve while warm. (If you like a lot of icing, double the recipe.)