New Year's Day Cinnamon Rolls

Lose Weight

Incorporate the usage of the word "ya'll" into my daily vocabulary

Give up coffee

Spend less money on shoes

Become a weather girl

These are just a few of my failed resolutions of New Years' past.  Well, this year I'm turning it all around.  I am resolving not to resolve. I mean, why should I have that kind of pressure on me? I never keep my New Year's resolutions, and then I feel guilty about it, and then my guilt makes me guzzle down coffee while eating lots of cake which really gets in the way of any coffee-free weight loss resolutions I've made, and it all goes horribly downhill.  It's a vicious cycle I tell you, a vicious cycle! So instead, I am standing firm and un-resolving! That's right, who's comin' with me?!?!

So, no New Years resolutions for this girl, just some gloriously sticky sweet cinnamon rolls to start the new year off with as much sweetness as possible.  My little trick is to bake the cinnamon rolls in a muffin tin, that way each roll is crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. Yummy, yummy!

Cinnamon Rolls


1 cup milk, slightly warm
6 tablespoons melted butter, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Icing:
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Mix warmed milk, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and yeast together. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spray the bowl of a stand mixer and dough hook lightly with nonstick spray. Place flour and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer and make a well in the center for the wet ingredients. Whisk egg into the milk mixture and add to the flour. Using the dough hook, knead dough on the lowest setting for about 7 minutes, or until dough pulls away from the bowl. Remove the dough and spray the bowl again with nonstick spray. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour until about doubled. Punch the dough down and let it rise for another hour until doubled again. Punch the dough down one last time, and let it sit while you prepare the filling.
Combine the ½ cup sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts in a small bowl



Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Place one piece on a floured surface and roll it out to a 9x13 rectangle. Using a pastry brush, spread 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the dough and evenly distribute the sugar-nut mixture over the butter. 

Starting on one 9-inch side, roll the dough up and pinch the seam to seal it (leave the ends of the roll open). Cut the roll into 12 pieces and place them in a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough.

Cover and let the cinnamon rolls rise until doubled. Once rolls have risen, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 20–22 minutes or until golden brown. 

Remove rolls from muffin tin and place on a wire rack. Make the icing by combining heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Drizzle over the rolls and serve while warm. Makes 24 cinnamon rolls.