Cinnamon Rolls - Updated Version - Trina B.

Stir together in mixer bowl:

1/2 c sugar
2 T yeast

Pour in:
2 c baby-bath-warm water.

Let it sit and foam for 10 minutes.

Add:
5-1/2 c flour
(fluff up your flour first or lightly spoon the flour into the cup so you're measuring loose but level cups)

1/2 c oil (canola or vegetable)
2 t salt

Knead with dough hook until smooth and then gradually add approximately 1/2 cup more of flour by heaping tablespoons, allowing each addition to mix in before adding more, until the dough is smooth and just barely not sticky (if you touch it, no dough should come off on your finger - stop adding flour as soon as it gets to this stage).

Preheat your oven for 1 minute, then turn it off (you want it just barely warmish). Cover the mixer bowl with a dish towel and put it in the oven for 15-30 minutes until the dough rises to about double.

While the dough is rising, stir together:
3 c brown sugar
1 generous T cinnamon
1 generous T cornstarch
1 small package vanilla instant pudding (just the powder)

Cut in until crumbly:
3/4 c butter or margarine

Set sugar mixture aside.

Turn the risen dough out onto a floured counter. (You can make your counter “non-stick” by wiping it with a damp cloth, then immediately sprinkling it with flour and spreading the flour with your hand.) If the dough is too sticky to handle, knead a little bit more flour in. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, maybe 15x20ish? (Or you can do a longer, narrower rectangle for smaller but more numerous cinnamon rolls.)

Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly onto the dough, then roll up the dough, seal the edges by pinching them closed, and cut into about 18 cinnamon rolls.

Place cinnamon rolls on two sprayed jelly roll pans (11x17?) and cover with towels. Let them rise at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes, until double.

Preheat oven to 350, then place uncovered pans into the oven on two racks. Bake for 7-8 minutes, then switch racks and bake for 7-8 more minutes until just golden. (If using a convection oven, there’s no need to switch racks.)

For the glaze, stir together:

1 c melted butter or margarine (Margarine actually combines better. The butter stays oily.)
1 t vanilla
2-3 c powdered sugar.

Add more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin until glaze is desired consistency. Spoon over hot rolls.