Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

4-1/4 to 4-3/4 cups/1 to 1.25 liters all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising active dry yeast
1-1/4 cups/325 mL milk
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Baking Vanilla
1/4 cup/60 mL sugar
1/4 cup/60 mL butter
1 tsp/5 mL salt
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Purest Ground Cinnamon
2 eggs
6 tbsp/90 mL butter, softened
1/2 cup/125 mL brown sugar
4 tsp/20 mL  Watkins Purest Ground Cinnamon
1 cup/250 mL powdered sugar
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Baking Vanilla
4 to 5 tsp/20 to 25 mL milk

Cooking Directions
Combine 1-1/2 cups/375 mL of the flour and yeast in large mixing bowl. Heat the 1-1/4 cups/325 mL milk, vanilla, sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon just until mixture is warm (120-130°F/50-55°C), stirring constantly. Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds; scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can (dough will be soft). Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball; place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 to 1-1/2 hours). (The dough is ready for shaping when you can lightly press two fingers 1/2-inch/1-cm into dough and an indentation remains.) Punch down dough and divide in half. Place each half on lightly floured surface and smooth into a ball. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough into a 12 × 8-inch/30 × 20-cm rectangle. Spread with 3 tbsp/45 mL of the butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half over rectangle. Roll up from short side. Seal edges (brushing with water makes rolls easier to seal). Repeat with remaining dough. Slice one roll into 8 pieces and the other roll into 7 pieces. Arrange slices, evenly, cut-side up, in greased 13 × 9-inch/33 × 23-cm baking dish. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled (about 30 minutes). Bake at 350°F/180°C for 25 to 40 minutes or until light brown. Invert at once onto wire rack, invert again. Cool slightly. Drizzle rolls with a glaze made by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Serve rolls warm or store in an air-tight container.
Makes 15 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories 300
Protein 6 g
Carbohydrates 49 g
Sodium 230 mg
Fat 9 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Cholesterol 52 mg
Dietary Fiber 1 g

Cocoa & Vanilla Brownies

Ingredients
8 tbsp/120 mL unsalted butter
1 cup/250 mL all-purpose flour
1/4 cup/60 mL Baking Cocoa
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Baking Powder
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL salt
8 oz/225 g bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups/310 mL sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Baking Vanilla
1 cup/250 mL walnuts (optional)

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C degrees. Brush a 9-inch/23-cm square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch/5-cm overhand on the two sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Melt together butter and chocolate. Add in sugar, eggs, vanilla and mix to combine. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Transfer batter to baking pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Sprinkle top with walnuts. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Using paper overhand, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

The statements made and opinions expressed on this page are those of the Independent Watkins Consultant who is the publisher of this document and are not to be construed as the statements or opinions of Watkins Incorporated.