Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls from Ree Drummond’s Food Network show yield 40 to 50 rolls topped with a maple icing made with coffee. And at approximately 360 calories per roll, the full batch takes 2 hours and 35 minutes since that includes two separate rises.

Ree skips the stand mixer entirely and stirs 9 cups of flour into warm milk by hand. So the dough stays loose and soft, which is what makes the baked rolls tender instead of tough and chewy.

The difference between gooey rolls and dry ones comes down to how tightly you roll the dough. And a loose roll lets butter and sugar leak out during baking, so work slowly and keep the log snug from end to end.

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe by medshi8Course: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

50

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

360

kcal

At 375°F the sliced rolls bake golden in 15 to 18 minutes after rising in buttered foil pans for at least 20 minutes. Then a pourable maple icing with brewed coffee and melted butter goes on immediately while they are still hot.

Ingredients

• For the dough:
  

• 1 quart whole milk
  

• 1 cup vegetable oil
  

• 1 cup sugar
  

• 2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
  

• 9 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  

• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
  

• 1 scant teaspoon baking soda
  

• 1 tablespoon salt

• For the filling:
  

• 2 cups melted unsalted butter, plus more as needed
  

• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
  

• 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more as needed

• For the maple icing:
  

• 2 pounds powdered sugar
  

• 1/2 cup whole milk
  

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  

• 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
  

• Dash of salt
  

• 1 tablespoon maple flavoring or maple extract

Directions

• Heat the milk mixture: Warm the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until just below a boil.
  
• Add the yeast: Then set the mixture aside to cool to warm, and sprinkle the yeast on top for 1 minute.
  
• Add the first flour: After the yeast sits, add 8 cups of flour and stir until just combined.
  
• Let the dough rise: Then cover with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour.
  
• Add the remaining dry ingredients: After 1 hour, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1 cup flour.
  
• Stir and decide: Then stir thoroughly and use the dough right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  
• Roll out half the dough: Once ready, roll half the dough on a floured surface into a thin rectangle about 30 by 10 inches.
  .
• Butter the surface: Then pour 3/4 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough and spread it evenly with your fingers.
  
• Add the cinnamon sugar: Once buttered, sprinkle half the cinnamon and 1 cup sugar generously over the top.
  
• Roll the log: Then roll the rectangle tightly toward you, working slowly to keep the log snug.
  
• Seal the seam: Once rolled, pinch the seam and flip so the seam faces down.
  
• Slice the rolls: Then cut the log into 1/2-inch slices with a sharp knife, which gives 20 to 25 rolls per log.
  
• Prepare the pans: Then pour a couple teaspoons of melted butter into foil cake pans, swirl to coat, and place the rolls inside.
  
• Repeat with the other half: Once the first pans are filled, repeat with the remaining dough and more pans.
  
• Let them rise again: Before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F and cover all pans with a towel for at least 20 minutes.
  
• Bake the rolls: Then remove the towel and bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
  
• Make the maple icing: While the rolls bake, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, coffee, salt, and maple flavoring until smooth.
  
• Ice the rolls: Once the rolls come out, drizzle the icing over them immediately and spread it to the edges

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Ree notes on the page that chilled dough is easier to work with, so plan on at least an hour in the fridge before rolling. And you can refrigerate the mixed dough for up to 3 days, just punch it down if it rises to the top of the bowl.

But cold dough also holds its shape better when sliced into rounds, since warm dough squishes flat under the knife. So bring it back to cool room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling, because stiff cold dough cracks instead of stretching.

Why does the recipe use both yeast and baking powder?

The yeast handles the main rise during that 1-hour rest and the 20-minute proof in the pans. And the baking powder and baking soda kick in once the oven heat hits, which gives extra lift to rolls heavy with butter and sugar.

Without those chemical leaveners, the dense filling would weigh down the yeast rise on its own. So the combination guarantees a fluffy interior even with 2 cups of melted butter spread across the batch.

How many pans do I need for the full batch?

Each foil cake pan holds about 7 to 9 rolls, and the full recipe yields 40 to 50 rolls total. So plan on 5 to 7 disposable foil pans, which you can find at most grocery stores near the aluminum foil.

And leave about half an inch between each roll in the pan, since they expand during the rise and again in the oven. But do not spread them too far apart, because rolls that touch while baking support each other and stay softer on the sides.

Can I freeze the unbaked rolls?

Assemble and slice the rolls, place them in the pans, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze before the final rise. And they keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks without losing much quality.

And to bake from frozen, thaw the pans overnight in the fridge, then let them rise on the counter for about 30 minutes. Since the centers stay cooler than fresh rolls, add 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.

What can I use instead of maple extract?

The icing calls for 1 tablespoon of maple flavoring or maple extract, which gives it a distinct pancake-syrup sweetness. And if you cannot find either, 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup adds similar flavor, though it thins the icing slightly.

So add an extra quarter cup of powdered sugar to offset the liquid from the syrup. Or skip the maple entirely and use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead, since the coffee in the icing still provides enough depth on its own.