Almond Cinnamon Rolls

I made these on a whim with a can of crescent rolls that was left over from Thanksgiving (Thanks, Mindy!), and Brandon say they might be better than Dutch Letters, if he could actually say that without being beaten by my family! They are so easy, that I could make these anytime!

INGREDIENTS

1-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste
 8 T. butter, room temperature
 3 T. sugar
 3 T. cinnamon
 1 T. flour
 2 - 8 oz tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
1/4 t. almond extract
 Optional garnish: toasted almonds slivers

 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. Grate Almond Paste on large hole side of a box grater.
3. Add Almond Paste, butter, sugar, cinnamon and flour to a bowl or food processor. Mix until well blended.  I was impatient and ended up just putting it in the microwave and melting the butter just a little bit until it would mix together well.
4. Unroll crescent dough. Divide each package into 4 rectangles. Pinch center seams (of 2 triangles) together securing the rectangle shape. With a spatula, spread equal amounts of cinnamon almond filling over each rectangle.
5. Starting at the short end of each rectangle, roll dough into a roll and pinch seam closed. Cut each roll into 3 equal pieces and slightly flatten with fingers.
6. Place each piece, side by side, on baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes or until golden brown in color. Cool on wire rack.
7. While rolls are cooling, whisk powdered sugar with milk and almond extract. Spread onto cooled rolls. For an extra pretty garnish sprinkle with toasted almonds while icing is still wet.

Breakfast Rolls

So, Brandon and I were talking about my quest to find a good cinnamon roll recipe. He told me that he really prefers these breakfast rolls that I make and had pretty much forgotten about. Normally, I make these with frozen dinner roll dough from the grocery store, but being my year of baking, I made the dough.

Thanks to Brandon for getting up before me, these were baked and ready to go when I got out of the shower. Nothing says, "Happy Anniversary" more than a super yummy breakfast already made!

As you can see, it turns into this wonderful ring of pull apart rolls with drippy caramel all over. So yummy! Perhaps Brandon is right, maybe I don't need to find the perfect cinnamon roll recipe.

Instructions

Dough

1/2 c. warm water

1/2 c. warm milk

1 egg

1/3 c. softened butter

1/3 c. white sugar

1 t. salt

3 3/4 c. flour

1 (.25 oz) pkg breadmachine yeast

Breakfast Rolls

1 (3 5/8 oz) pkg of cook and serve butterscotch pudding

1/2 c.  butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Place all dough ingredients in bread machine and run on dough cycle.
2. Take dough out of bread machine and divide in half.  Keep dividing the pieces in half until you have 32 little rolls.  (If using frozen rolls, use a pkg of 24)
3. Dip rolls in butterscotch pudding powder and place in a well greased bundt pan.  Pour remaining butterscotch pudding powder over the rolls.
4. Melt butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if using).  Cook until sugar is deissolved and it is bubbling, ~1.5 min in the microwave.  Stir well and pour over rolls.
5. Cover with greased foil and place in fridge overnight.  (If using frozen, leave out on counter top overnight)
6. Cook at 350 uncovered for 20 minutes, then cover with foil for remaining 15-20 minutes.  Make sure rolls towards center are fully cooked.
7. Let stand 5 minutes, then invert on serving dish.

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

A friend of mine sent me a recipe for cinnamon rolls. When I was at the grocery store, I was sure that recipe used a cake mix. I was wrong, so I decided I should find a recipe for cake mix cinnamon rolls to use the cake mix I bought. Here's what I cam up with.



They turned out pretty really well. They were so easy. They tasted good.  My husband didn't even realize they had cake mix in them.  He also took them into work, and they all disappeared (perhaps that isn't the best measuring stick).  However, in my year of baking bread type goods, I think I'll keep looking for the perfect cinnamon roll.

Ingredients

Dough

5 c. flour

1 (18 oz) yellow cake mix

2 (1/4 oz) packages bread machine yeast

2 1/2 c. warm water

Filling

1/4 c. melted butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

raisins (optional)

Directions  

1. In mixing bowl, combine 4 c. flour, dry cake mix, yeast and warm water until smooth.
2. Add enough reaming flour to form a soft dough
3. Change to dough hook, and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.
4. Place in greased bowl, turn once to grease all sides of dough.  Cover and let rise until doubled, ~1hr
5. Punch dough down.  Divide dough into half, and let rest covered for 10 minutes.
6. Roll each portion into a 12x16 rectangle.
7. Brush with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and raisins
8. Roll dough up, starting with long side.
9. Cut each roll into 12 slices.  Place cut side down in 2 greased 9x13 pans.  Flatten them a little bit with your hands so the middles don't puff up.
10. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, 30-60 minutes.
11. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
12. Cool for 20 minutes, and then frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Makes 24 cinnamon rolls