It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose. It just seems that when the calendar turns to December, I am drawn into a vortex of daily baking. I might make something for the family, or for a get-togethers with friends, or for gift giving…it’s always something.
Out here at the ranch, there are no local bakeries, no cute corner bistros, not even any diners where I can pick up something sweet for Christmas morning. So if I want cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning… I have to make them.
This is my favorite way to make morning cinnamon rolls, as the dough rises in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, you simply pop them into the oven, and voila! Instant amazing! And the aromas of freshly baked cinnamon rolls makes you the favorite.
I’ve made these rolls many different ways, and with different fillings. I adore fruit fillings such as blueberries, or cranberries, but you can keep it easy with just nuts and cinnamon. Raisins are always a good call, but cinnamon rolls with raisins soaked in rum or amaretto? Uh, yes please!
If you are not a seasoned baker, or never make bread, making cinnamon rolls might be a good recipe for developing new skills. Because you are letting the dough rise in the fridge, you skip the double rising that most bread recipes require. Cinnamon rolls with one rising time are very convenient, and can be put together after work, when the kitchen is quiet. Maybe leave the recipe for Santa, so he can whip them up when he stops by!
Right now, our kitchen smells absolutely heavenly…my son has now been drawn into the same baking vortex, and the aroma of cinnamon and butter are filling the air. The coffee is brewing, and the rest of the family is rumbling around, making their way to the kitchen to see what is available to sample. Is there anything more Christmasy than baking with the family?
A lot of us in my baking group were REALLY confused by the 2 cups of flour versus 6 cups and the loose instruction to “add enough to form a firm elastic dough”. Lots of questions about if we’re to use the total amount or, what the actual amount should be. Any chance you could address this question? I was actually trying to locate Texas Provincial Kitchen in my bookshelves for the original overnight recipe I used for years but can’t find my copy just now. Thanks! Jay (July 2020)
Hi Jay! That is a good question I will make that the subject of my next video. Different factors affect flour so the humidity levels change sometimes making it heavier or lighter. Neither weight nor volume work well for measurement, so slight adjustments have to be made. Tactile sense and experience make all the difference. I will check the recipe to clarify, but stay tuned for the video!
MG