½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (I use salted)
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Filling(I double this for more cinnamon flavour)
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Frosting
½ cup cream cheese softened
1 cup Icing Sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp milk (or heavy cream or half and half)
PREPARATION
Make the dough:
Cinnamon Braids before baking
In a bowl, put in warmed milk, sugar and melted butter (warm to the touch, 100-110˚F (37-43˚C)
Add yeast over top of the mixture and gentle mix. Cover bowl and let sit for 10 minutes in a warm place.
Add 4 cups of the flour to the milk mixture and with a wooden spoon stir until combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and place in a warm place to rise and double in size.
Coat a baking tin and put aside until ready.
While waiting the dough to rise cream butter, cinnamon and brown sugar together and set aside.
After the hour is up, remove cover from dough and add the remaining flour, salt and baking powder. Combine well and put dough onto a clean floured surface. Dust dough with flour and kneed for at least 10 minutes adding a little extra flour as needed to keep it from being too sticky.
Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a large rectangle (12″-14″ x 17″).
If making “rolls”(see diagram). Begin rolling the dough into a log from the short end. Continue rolling and place seam-side down.
If making “knots” (see diagram). With long side towards you, fold 1/3 dough over the filling and then again the remaining 1/3. Cut into 12 equal strips. Using a sharp knife, cut down the length of each section to make 3 strands but leave attached at the top. Begin to braid each strand, then roll up the braids over itself and place seam side down into well greased “large muffin tins”. (you will need two)
Trick in cutting: Use dental floss to the rolls, a knife will flatten them. Cut them into 12 equal pieces and depending on if you are making “Braided Knots” or “Rolls” place them into muffin tins or baking pans. Cover with a towel and allow them to rise another 35-45 minutes. Note: At this point you can cover them with plastic wrap and freeze them until ready.
Place into a 350˚F (180˚C) preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly brown.
While they are baking, make the frosting by putting all ingredients into a bowl and combine until well mixed.
After cinnamon rolls or knots have been removed from oven, let stand for about 10 minutes and drizzle frosting over top.
Keep a can of apple pie filling and a roll or two of cinnamon rolls so that if you get unexpected people dropping by or just have a craving, you have a delicious cake at the ready.
Ingredients
1 can apple pie filling (540 ml)
1 or 2 cinnamon rolls with icing (351 g)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions
Depending on the how many people you wish to serve you can use 1 or 2 cinnamon roll tubes. (Using 1/2 can of pie filling and 1 cinnamon roll will yield you 6 servings in an 8″x8″ pan) If you use a full can of pie filling you will need 2 cinnamon rolls and a 9″x13″ pan.
Open your tubes of cinnamon rolls and separate the sections
Cut each section into quarters with a knife or scissors and put into a bowl
Open the can of pie filling and depending on how many tubes you are using cut apple slices into smaller pieces, and put them in the bowl with the cinnamon rolls.
Gently fold the apple pieces and 1/2 the pie filling mixture together
Coat the cooking pan with cooking spray and pour the mixture into it
If using pecans, sprinkle over top
Bake in a preheated over at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes
Let cool at least a 1/2 hour before drizzling the icing from the cinnamon tubes over top.
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