Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls & Celebrating Moms!

It's that time of year again ... time to do something nice for your Mom!!  Yes, it's Mother's Day weekend and it's time to celebrate!  You may know her as Mom, Ma, Mommy or Mooooooom! 

She's the person who: 

• cuddled you when you were sick
• snuck out of your room in a Commando crouch so you wouldn't wake up
• read you that same book every night for two years
• sat through each and every recital and clapped the loudest
• went on field trips to the dump, zoo, amusement park ... you name it, she was there
• stayed up late to bake cookies for your class party that you just told her about
• tried so very hard not to take it personally when you walked a little behind her in the mall as a tween/teen
• handled your exasperated eye rolls and your teenage snark (sometimes) with the patience of the Dalai Lama and other times she threw it right back at ya
• is more proud than you could ever know about all that you've become and yet sad and nostalgic that time has gone so quickly as you pull away to make your own way in the world

We all know a woman who fills that role in our lives.  It's time to celebrate HER!

As a Mother myself I think I can speak for my brethren when I say that we love receiving gifts (who doesn't?) but going that extra distance, giving us your time, attention, love and thanks is really the best gift. I sound like a greeting card but it's true.

Spoil us.  Hug us. Tell us you love us and think we're still kind of cool (even though some of us, who shall remain nameless, tried to impress teenage you by using the term 'meme' but pronounced it 'me-me' instead of 'meem').  Bring us sustenance on Sunday while we lounge in bed trying to ignore the increasingly frustrated loud whispering as the dads and you kids try to make a lovely breakfast for us while we 'sleep in'.  We want to be treated like queens for one day.  Is that too much to ask?

For those of you who may have to remind your husbands and kids that your special day is almost upon us you can print off this recipe and leave it for them as a hint.  Perhaps even write 'Make this on Sunday!!' just in case your peeps are slow on the uptake. 

These cinnamon rolls take some prep time but are easy to make and are da bomb!!!  I made them a few weeks ago as a 'just cuz' baking idea.  I had a hankering for cinnamon rolls so I made 'em one afternoon and they rocked!  So much so that the 18 rolls that I made were gone in two days.  No judgement.  I'm no expert but I think that may be why my jeans were feeling snug later that week.  Nahhh, that can't be it.

These rolls were light with just the right amount of cinnamon with a crispy top.  They were heavenly, y'all and you so deserve to have them made for you (or your Mom deserves to have them made for her!).

Wishing all my fellow Moms in the trenches a wonderful Mother's Day.  Don't forget to thank all the Grandmas, Nanas, Nannies, Mother-in-Laws, Omas, Aunts and all the women who do all they can to make you be a better you.  Women rock, 'nuff said.

Time to Make: approximately 3 - 3 1/2 hours

2 tsp yeast
3 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. white sugar3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
3 tbsp. water

Filling
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter, softened

Glaze
3/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp milk

Put yeast in your bread machine pan first followed by flour, sugar and salt. 

Note: I know that this goes against most bread machine rules but just do it.  Usually you put the yeast in last with the flour acting as a barrier so the liquid doesn't touch the yeast until the right moment.  Throw that idea out the window for this recipe.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, egg, milk and water. Pour onto the dry ingredients in your bread machine pan.  Set your machine to the Dough setting (usually takes about 2 hours).

Once dough is done, put it onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead the dough and add flour, if needed, to make the dough easier to work with (mine was a bit sticky so I had to add some).  If the dough is still too elastic allow it to sit for 10 minutes covered.

Divide dough into two equal balls.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the balls into a rectangular shape with approximately 1/4-inch thickness.  Do the same with the other ball of dough.

Combine filling ingredients and spread over each of the dough rectangles evenly, getting as close to the edges as you can. 

Roll up dough snuggly starting at the short ends of each rectangle (I found it easier to handle a shorter end plus you'll get more 'scrolls' (curls) as my cousin Jeff, who owns a bakery, calls them). 

Using a sharp knife, cut rolls into approximately 1-inch thick slices and place them in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan (I needed another smaller pan for extras).

Cover the baking dish(es) with a tea towel and place them in a warm area, away from drafts, for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until light brown on top.  Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients (sifting icing sugar to ensure no lumps) and set aside. 



Look at that finished product!!  Now all it needs is some glaze!  So spoon the glaze over the warm rolls ensuring they're nice covered.  Serve immediately.  Store extra rolls in an airtight container.  These rolls are best eaten the same day but the rolls we ate the following day, when heated a bit, were almost as good.

Enjoy!

Inspired by - Food.com's 'Bread Machine Cinnamon Buns'