Yields:
24 Servings
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 20 Mins
Cook Time:
2 Hr 30 Mins
Total Time:
2 Hr 50 Mins
While Larry was in college, Kathy bakes sweet rolls which he took to the Dartmouth College Library staff lounge to sell. It meant rising at 4 AM; since she was also baby-sitting several children at the time, she didn’t have the energy to do that very long!
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Butterscotch Rolls (make cinnamon rolls, then add this)
- Dinner Rolls (make from basic dough above)
Instructions
-
Basic Dough
- Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c warm water (let sit 5 minutes).
- Add shortening, eggs, sugar and salt to yeast mixture. Add remaining water.
- Add half the flour (3 1/2 c) and beat until smooth. Let mixture rise, covered, for 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
- Add remaining flour (3 1/2 c) and knead until smooth. Use the additional 1/2 cup if dough still feels sticky. Form into a ball, place in a greased bowl and rotate dough, greased side up. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, let rise until double, about 30 minutes. Shape and let rise; bake as directed for specific recipe (following) Cinnamon Rolls
- Cut ball of dough in half. Roll each half into 15"x9" rectangle with a rolling pin. Spread each with 2 Tbsp of softened butter and sprinkle with 1/2 c. sugar and 2 tsp. of cinnamon. Optional: sprinkle with 1/4 c pecan pieces (chopped small).
- Roll up each rectangle tightly, beginning at the wide side. Cut rolls into 1" slices; place fairly close together in greased pans.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cover and let rise until double, 35-40 minutes.
- Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.
- Blend the confectioner's sugar with enough milk to make a thickish paste, not runny. You can add milk or sugar until you get the right consistency. Add a pinch of salt for dimension. You can also make a buttercream frosting with butter and confectioner's sugar, with a little vanilla and milk. Frost or glaze while still warm, but not hot. Butterscotch Rolls
- Make Cinnamon Rolls as above. In each of the two baking pans, coat the bottomof the pan wiht a mixture of 1/3 c. melted butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp of corn syrup or water, and 1/2 c. pecan halves.
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Place 12 of the 1" slices in each pan, and bake as above. 375° for 25-30 minutes.
- When baking is complete, immediately turn upside down on a tray so the butterscotch runs down over the rolls. Dinner Rolls
- Using basic dough above, shape dough into balls about 1/3 the size you desire the final roll to be. Rolls may be shaped into crescents (butterhorns), cloverleaf, snails, knots, etc.
- Place close together in a greased pan, cookie sheet, or in muffin tins.
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Let rise until light. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes.