Best-Ever Cinnamon Rolls

 

 

Ingredients

·        4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

·        1 package active dry yeast

·        1 cup milk

·        1 cup mashed potatoes

·        1/3 cup butter

·        1/3 cup granulated sugar

·        ½ teaspoon salt

·        3 eggs

·        ½ cup packed brown sugar

·        ¼ cup all-purpose flour

·        1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

·        ½ cup butter

·        Powdered Sugar Icing

 

Directions

1.      In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, mashed potato, the 1/3 cup butter, the granulated sugar, and salt just until warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F) and butter almost melts; add to flour mixture along with the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

2.      Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total kneading time). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes).

3.      Punch down dough. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan;** set aside. For filling, in a small bowl stir together brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

4.      Roll dough into an 18x12-inch rectangle. Spread the 1/4 cup butter over dough rectangle. Sprinkle filling over butter-spread dough rectangle, leaving 1 inch unfilled along one of the long sides. Roll up filled rectangle into a spiral, starting from the long side with the filling. Pinch dough to seal seams.

5.      Cut dough spiral into 12 equal pieces. Arrange pieces, cut sides down, in the prepared baking pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place on the middle rack of your unheated oven; place a bowl of warm water on the lower rack. Let rise until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).

6.      Remove pan of rolls from oven; uncover and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and done in center. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a small metal spatula, loosen rolls from pan. Place a wire rack on top of pan; place one hand on top of rack and other hand under pan and carefully invert pan with rack (use pot holders to protect your hands). Lift pan off rolls. Drizzle or spread rolls with Icing. Serve warm.