Pay-The-Dentist Cinnamon Rolls

When I was growing up, a family friend who also happened to be a dentist, accepted a pan of cinnamon rolls as payment for cleaning my five siblings’ and my teeth twice a year.  Hence the name.  It also meant we got cinnamon rolls at least twice a year.  Perhaps that’s why to this day, I love going to the dentist….Anyway, enjoy some for yourself!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter plus 4 Tablespoons softened butter (for filling)
4 to 5 cups flour
Cinnamon sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water.  Mix in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and 2 1/2 cups of the flour until smooth.

Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle (should be slightly sticky but not so wet it’s not possible to knead).  Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for five minutes until dough is soft and elastic.  Place in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover and put in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour and a half.

Punch down dough and turn onto on a lightly floured surface.  Roll into a 15×9 inch rectangle.  Brush to the edges with softened butter and generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and brown sugar, making sure to cover the dough to the edges.

Tightly roll the dough lengthwise.  Stretch the dough if necessary to make it even on the ends.  When finished, pinch together the edges and the seams.

Cut the dough into twelve even pieces (tip:  use dental floss {haha, get it?  Using dental floss to make Pay-The-Dentist cinnamon rolls?  Seriously though, it works!} to criss cross around the dough and pull until cut through–it’ll prevent the rolls from being smashed from cutting with a knife).

Space in a lightly greased baking pan.  Allow rolls to raise for thirty minutes in a warm spot.  Preheat oven to 350F.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rolls are golden and firm when thumped.  Glaze while warm.

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.  Add additional powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin.

Glaze the cinnamon rolls while hot.  Serve warm along side chili or enjoy as a breakfast treat.