Sinful cinnamon rolls recipe

Sarah Kenney and her family have lived everywhere from Missouri and Louisiana to Wales and Japan. Seven years ago, they moved to Houston, where Sarah started her blog Thyme (thymefoodblog.com).

“I wanted to expose my children to more travel and cuisine to keep them away from the easy fast-food options,” she says. “To keep everyone at the dinner table longer, I started teaching myself to cook more gourmet meals. The children were thrilled. They expanded their exposure to different foods, and the quality time as a family increased.”

Five years ago, the Kenneys fulfilled their dream of moving to a historic New Hampshire farmhouse. Despite all the moving, one recipe is a constant at holiday breakfasts: Sinful Cinnamon Rolls. “It's an entirely reliable recipe,” she says. “I never have to wonder if the rolls will come out the same way.”

Sinful cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

Makes 12 rolls

• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened, divided
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 (0.25 ounce) package instant yeast
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt; mix well. Add water, egg, and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.

When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup margarine.

Roll out dough into a 12×9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with margarine and sugar mixture. (Be sure that the margarine isn’t too soft so that it doesn’t drizzle and ooze off of the dough.) Sprinkle with raisins, if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal-size rolls and place cut side up in 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake for 20 minutes or until browned. Remove from muffin cups to cool. Add toppings as desired.