Recipes/Cooking/Baking

Easier-than-Usual Cinnamon Pinch-ups

I've tweaked this recipe to make it quick-and-easy! These aren't actually cinnamon rolls—they're cinnamon pinch-ups! No rolling, so they don't look as pretty as usual—but no sticky mess, and they are delicious! Takes about 1 hour 15 minutes from start to finish, including clean-up.

For rising, preheat oven to 200°F.

In Kitchenaid bowl, put:
2-3/4 cups white flour
3 Tb granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
2-1/4 tsp yeast

Hand-mix with a fork.

In 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, put:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup whole milk
2 Tb butter (preferably unsalted, cut into small pieces)

Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir.
Microwave for another 15 seconds; stir until butter is melted.
Check that temperature is between 105°F and 110°F (the proper temperature for activating the yeast).

Hand-stir butter mixture into flour mixture until mostly mixed.
Add 1 egg; hand-stir to mix slightly.
Mixture does not need to be completely mixed; it will finish mixing in next step.

Knead:
Use Kitchenaid dough hook on 2 setting for 3–4 minutes.
Dough should ball up on beater and look shiny.
Let rest for about 5 minutes while doing next step (no timing necessary).

In already-used Pyrex measuring cup, mix:
5 Tb butter (preferably unsalted)
1 Tb cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir.
Microwave another 30 seconds; stir until butter is melted.
Use remaining 1 Tb butter from stick to generously grease an 8"x8" glass baking dish.

Wrap a piece of parchment paper around cutting board; place dough on board.
Hand-press into rectangle, about 8"x6".
Use large knife to cut into 9 equal pieces.
Hand-press each piece into a thin circle; put 1 Tb stirred butter mixture in middle; gather up and pinch to close; put in pan.
Some butter may ooze out—no problem!
Repeat for all 9 pieces.
Drizzle any remaining butter mixture over tops of rolls.

Cover pan with cloth towel; turn off oven; place rolls in oven to rise for 20 minutes.

Remove towel. Leaving rolls in oven, set oven to 375°F. Bake for 20 minutes.
Start timing immediately! Do not wait for oven to preheat.

Remove from oven.
Mix about 4 heaping tablespoons confectioner's sugar, 2 Tb milk, and 1 tsp vanilla.
Stir until smooth, and drizzle over warm rolls.
Enjoy!