SANDRA’S OOEY-GOOEY AUTUMN CINNAMON ROLLS with CARAMEL ICING

Decadent cinnamon rolls packed

with ooey-gooey deliciousness

that you’re bound to end up

craving as we do...

Yields: 12 Rolls

Prep/Rise: 2.5 Hrs.

Bake: 20 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Dough:

1-1/8 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup canned candied sweet potatoes, drained and mashed

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons honey

3 teaspoons fresh, dry yeast (be sure to check expiration date)

3 cups unbleached bread flour,
--approximately to reach desired consistency (bread flour provides for lighter rolls vs all-purpose)

Filling:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup raisins

Icing:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar (important)

METHOD

Turn on light in oven (no heat though).

Lightly spray a large bowl, and set aside.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, including lining a wire rack with parchment paper and set them aside (or reuse the same piece of parchment paper).

In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is 'almost' melted, stirring constantly (do not boil); remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

In stand mixer bowl using the paddle attachment, combine sweet potatoes, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, and salt. Add cooled milk mixture and beat on low until incorporated. Beat in egg, honey, and yeast.

Add half of the flour to pumpkin mixture. Switch to the dough hook attachment, and beat for 5 minutes, while frequently scraping sides. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly, dough will be very soft but should form a small ball around hook. 

Turn into lightly greased bowl, then lightly spray surface of dough.  Cover and let rise in a (no-heat) oven with only the light on until doubled, about 1 hour. 

Punch dough down, and turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth and soft dough. 

In small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Roll dough into an 18”x16” rectangle. Brush surface of dough with melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar mixture, then raisins while retaining 1” of long edge away from you with no filling. Use a rolling pin to gently roll over filling mixture to press into dough (this ensures that the filling won’t pool to bottom of pan when baking).  

Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style away from you, then pinch end seam to seal. Using kitchen scissors, cut roll into twelve equal 1-1/4” slices. 

Place rolls cut-side-up in greased 11”x16” baking pan. Cover and let rise again in (no-heat) oven with only the light on, until nearly doubled, about 1 hr.  

Remove rolls from rising in oven to counter 50 minutes into final rising.

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

After an hour of rising and oven has preheated, bake rolls for 20 minutes until golden brown; turning half way though to ensure even baking.

Meanwhile, prepare icing. In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Whisk in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute while whisking.  Remove from heat, and add vanilla extract. Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Once cooled, add sifted confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat with a hand electric mixer on high until well blended, about 3 mins.

Remove hot rolls by flipping them over upside down from baking pan to parchment-lined baking sheet.

Re-flip the rolls over right side up onto parchment-lined wire rack. 

Use the back of a spoon to spread half of the icing on top of the piping hot rolls (this makes them ooey-gooey delicious). 

Cool 15 to 20 minutes, re-stir and spread remaining icing over warm rolls just before serving.

Enjoy!