I made these last Sunday, and my husband is already requesting a repeat for this week. The recipe comes from my 1950 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook(aka-"the red cookbook"-though truth be told, most of the recipes sound pretty bourgeois...)I made a few changes that will better reflect the way we cook today (adjusting for granulated yeast, and so on). Most of the ingredients can be mixed the night before and set in the icebox to begin the next morning. If you pre-mix the dough, be sure to allow extra time for it to warm up once you bring it out in the morning.
Sweet Rolls:
1/2 cup milk at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 teaspoons granulated yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
4 1/2 -5 cups or more sifted all purpose flour
Proof the yeast in the warm water and set aside. Mix together the milk, sugar and salt. Add the yeast. Add shortening and eggs and the flour in two additions. Knead until smooth but still somewhat sticky-you don't want to add so much flour that it dries out. Place dough in a buttered bowl, turn once to coat and cover tightly with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 1/2-2 hours.
When doubled in bulk, punch down and let rise again until almost doubled (about 35-45 minutes).
Cinnamon mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons softened butter
Roll out dough into a large rectangle. Spread with butter and top with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up tightly from wide end and pinch seam closed well. Cut roll into 1 inch slices and place in a well buttered 13x9 pan. Cover and let rise until doubled (35-40 minutes). Bake in pre-heated 375 degree F. oven until baked through (the cookbook advises testing with a fork, but I needed to pull it from the oven and give it a push with a finger). Makes about 18 rolls.
Glaze:
The recipe did not offer one but a simple trick is to take 1 cup of powdered sugar and a teaspoon of water adding more or less slowly until thick. Spread over still warmed rolls. You could of course make the glaze with milk or cream as well.
