*Updated Cinnamon Rolls/Twists

I originally posted these cinnamon twists about 18 months ago. After a sweet reader noted a mistake on the water measurement, and I have made them time and time again with easier steps, I decided it was time to re-write the instructions. So where the original recipe has your divide the dough in half and double the cinnamon paste, I have been working with all the dough at once and keeping the paste at the half amount. (I was finding half of it oozed out anyway so halving it just works better) You can still divide the dough out into 2 if you want to make half cinnamon rolls, half dinner rolls. But 2 dozen cinnamon rolls disappear quickly around here with 4 kiddos.

The reason these are still my favorite is that where traditional cinnamon rolls take a few hours to make with all the rising, these only take an hour start to finish. They are also topped with a glaze instead of frosting-so they are light and melt in your mouth!

Cinnamon Rolls/Twists

Recipe adapted slightly from Sharon West

Makes about 2 dozen

In your mixer bowl, proof your yeast by adding the hot water and waiting to get bubbly: 

2 Tbsp quick rise yeast 

2 1/4 cups hot tap water

Then add:

1 cube butter, melted (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2/3 cup powdered milk

2 beaten eggs

3 cups flour

Mix until well blended with your paddle attachment. Then add

3 cups additional flour (this makes 6 cups total)

Now you can switch over to your dough hook if you want to. Set your timer for 10 minutes and let the machine knead the dough with the dough hook. (If you don't have a dough hook no worries just use whatever attachment you have and knead it up)

After the 10 minutes-lower your bowl down or lift your mixer arm up, take the hook out, and cover it. Let it sit and rise for 30 minutes in the bowl. 

While it is rising you can mix up your cinnamon/sugar paste. 

In a small bowl mix together: 

1 cube butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

After your dough has raised 30 minutes, dump the dough out onto a very thoroughly floured counter.  Now with floured hands and a floured surface, roll out the dough into a very large rectangle. Mine today measured 30 inches wide (hip to hip) and 15 inches deep (going away from me).  Now spread the cinnamon/sugar mixture onto half of the dough- the half closest to you. Spread out the paste until it's all evenly distributed. Then fold over the top half so you have a sandwich with the paste in the middle. My scraper works really good for scraping that other half to fold over.

Here are some pictures. I know this seems funny but if this is a new method to you it will help. My actual pictures were not good. One of these days I will take some as I'm doing it, but since I'm usually by myself in the kitchen that will have to wait. Also if your rimmed cookie sheet is 12 x 18 like mine, lay one long wise and the other upright and you can get an idea of how long to roll your dough without actually measuring it. 

Now that you have your "breadsticks" take one of them and twist each end opposite to make it nice a twisty. Now take that twisted stick and wrap it around your thumb. There is a correct direction to twist around your thumb. If the twisty starts to unravel flat, then you need to go the other direction (counterclockwise vs clockwise). You should see the twists even rolled up.

Now put them onto a rimmed greased cookie sheet. (Make sure it's rimmed or your oven will be a mess) I usually fit 12 onto each sheet. Bake them @ 350 for 8-10 minutes. Don't let them "brown." Take them out when just the tops and edges are starting to look "golden". Take them out and glaze the tops

While they are baking- make the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp melted butter

2 Tbsp milk or water (I use water)

splash of vanilla

Mix together with a fork until it's nice and smooth.

Now you are going to stick your hand into a ziplock bag, grab a handful and start rubbing that glaze over the top of the hot rolls. I do this right in my cookie sheet because it tends to be quite messy. Then after the glaze sits a minute, I take them off and put them onto a cooling rack (where they are mauled by hungry children!)

ENJOY!! I promise they are easy- don't let the detailed long directions scare you away. Just trying to be helpful ;)