Food Literacy Students
Cinnamon rolls are a food to share. Whether during the holidays, special occasions, a cold day, or as a comfort food, cinnamon rolls are a perfect dessert for any setting. They are warm, sweet, and delicious. Below we will show you the recipe by ambitiouskitchen so you can make them yourself; we also include a cost break down, and a way to cater towards gluten allergies and/or intolerances. Enjoy!
Making Yeast Bread Products
Kneading dough – Is kneading dough very common?
Yes! Kneading dough is an essential skill to learn for food literacy. The skill of kneading dough is needed for many recipes. It is a critical step in making cinnamon rolls, tortillas, rolls, bread, and other yummy treats. According to the Vegan and Raw Food Blog, “During the process of kneading dough, two key proteins within the flour, gliadin and glutenin, combine to form strands of gluten. Kneading warms up those strands, which allows the proteins to expand during fermentation and encourages the molecules to bond, making for a more elastic dough with better structure,” (greengirleats.com). The blog goes on to mention that foods such as solid fats, oils, and egg yolks coat gluten proteins and prevent them from forming, therefore impeding the overall rise and development of the dough.
To learn more about gluten and bread-making and the science behind successful bread products consider visiting these sites:
– Institute of Food Science & Technology
Dough
Knowing how to knead dough is a great way to expand your food knowledge because it allows you to experiment with different food groups. Dough is used in many different recipes, so learning to knead also aids in food preparation efficacy, as it boosts one’s confidence in their ability to make different types of dough recipes and be creative with them. Flour is a huge staple for dough and is a very affordable ingredient commonly found in most homes.
Tips
This is a budget friendly way to make a yummy treat for all your friends and family to enjoy! Make sure that you have sufficient amount of time to prepare and make the recipe, as you do have to allot time for the dough to rest two separate times. A good idea to manage time would be to prepare the cinnamon sugar mixture and the icing while the dough is rising or baking, that way it will be ready to go as soon as you’re able to move onto the next step of the recipe. Make sure to drizzle plenty of icing on the rolls, so that they are completely covered.
Cost Breakdown
| Ingredients | Amount | Unit Cost of Ingredient | Recipe Cost of Ingredient |
| Warm milk | 3/4 cup | $2.18/gallon | $0.14 |
| Quick rise or active dry yeast | 2 1/4 tsp | $5.48/4 oz | $0.23 |
| Granulated sugar | 1/4 cup | $2.94/4 lbs | $0.39 |
| Eggs | 2 ea | $4.25/dozen | $0.72 |
| Butter | 3/4 cup | $5.78/ 1 lb | $1.95 |
| Bread flour | 3 cups | $5.58/5 lbs | $3.72 |
| Salt | 3/4 tsp | $1.26/26 oz | $0.08 |
| Dark brown sugar | 2/3 cup | $2.97/32 oz | $0.41 |
| Cinnamon, ground | 1 1/2 Tbsp | $3.46/2.37 oz | $0.27 |
| Cream cheese | 4 oz | $2.98/8 oz | $1.49 |
| Powdered sugar | 3/4 cup | $1.84/32 oz | $0.46 |
| Vanilla extract | 1/2 tsp | $4.12/1 oz | $0.68 |
| Total Recipe Cost | $10.54 | ||
| Cost per serving $1.17 |
Delicious Cinnamon Rolls
Description
These cinnamon rolls by ambitiouskitchen are the warmest and fluffiest cinnamon rolls that you will ever have. Tastes like a warm hug!
Ingredients
Dough
Filling:
Frosting:
Instructions
- Combining ingredients: Warm milk to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. To do this you can microwave the milk (in a microwave safe bowl) for 40-45 second intervals. The milk should be warm to the touch but not hot! Place warm milk into bowl of an electric stand mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter to milk and yeast mixture. Use the electric stand mixer on low/medium until well combined. Lastly stir in flour and salt to form a dough.
- Kneading Dough: Place a dough hook on the stand mixer. Turn onto medium speed for 8 minutes. The dough will start to form into a ball-like shape and be slightly sticky. Make sure it is not too sticky (sticks easily to your fingers or to the bowl.) If it is too sticky add 2 Tbsp of bread flour.
An alternative method to a stand mixer with a kneading hook is to knead the dough by hand. Make sure to have a well floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes. (To learn how to knead by hand see instructions above in blog post). - Rising: Grab a bowl that is bigger than the size of your dough. Oil the bowl and place the dough inside. Cover up the bowl with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Dough should be left alone to rise for 1 – 1 ½ hours. Dough should double in size.
- Rolling out: Prepare a flat surface by dusting it with flour. Use rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 14×9-inch rectangle. Take softened butter and spread it over the dough. (Be sure to leave a ¼ inch margin at one end of the dough).
- Filling: Place cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl. Once they are mixed well sprinkle the mixture over the buttered dough, then rub the brown sugar mixture into the butter.
- Roll up: Starting from one end start to tightly roll dough up. Place the seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough. (The ends of the roll might not be as full of sugar as desired so it’s okay to cut off about an inch off the end.)
- Cut: Use a serrated knife, floss, or thread to cut dough into 1- inch sections. You should get 9 large pieces. Take those pieces and place them in a greased 9×9 inch baking pan or round 9-inch cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and towel and bake rolls for 20-25 minutes. Bake until the outsides of the rolls are golden brown. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
- Frosting: Combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you or those you are preparing this recipe for someone who has gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease, this recipe can be made gluten-free by using a gluten-free baking flour blend. We did this and the final product was a flavorful, delicious dessert! Keep in mind that the dough will turn out more dense and crumbly. You definitely don’t get your classic, fluffy cinnamon roll when you use gluten-free flour, so when possible, all-purpose wheat flour that allows for gluten development is the way to go. The gluten-free version is still a fun way to incorporate your favorite treat into your diet and make it allergy- and intolerant- friendly.
