Quick, Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I love baking! And since it's the Holiday season, I decided to take a break until Jan 2nd on watching what I eat...so I have been somewhat overindulgent the last few weeks. I was craving cinnamon rolls the other day, but looking at recipes online I found out that most doughs for cinnamon rolls take a long time (the dough has to rise.) I don't know about you, but waking up at 4am to make dough for cinnamon rolls doesn't sound very fun to me. I found variations of quick dough cinnamon roll recipes online and came up with this one by combining a couple of them. This recipe is faster than the original long rising cinnamon rolls and it tastes just as good! It would be a nice little treat for your family on New Year's morning! It's quick, easy, and they will think you got up extra early to slave over the oven!

Quick, Easy Cinnamon Rolls

For the Cinnamon Rolls you will need:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of orange zest
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

For the glaze you will need:
1/4 cup salted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 -2 tablespoon milk

1. Melt the unsalted butter in microwave. (Just the 10 tablespoons for the rolls, leave the 1/4 cup for the glaze.)

2. Heat oven 425 degrees and make sure rack is in the middle. Pour 3 tablespoons of melted butter into an 8-inch glass baking pan. Make sure butter covers the bottom. (It will help the rolls not stick to the pan.)

3. In large bowl combine buttermilk, sugar, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.

4. In a sifter combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Sift into buttermilk mixture.

5. Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture till just combined.

6. Pour dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. (I like to do standing crunches while kneading the dough.)

7. Roll out dough to make a rectangle, until it is about 1/2 in thick. You should end up with a rectangle 12"x9" in size.

8. In small bowl combine both sugars, cinnamon, and cloves until mixed together.

9. Brush the rolled out dough with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Leave room around the edges so the seams can be pressed together. About a 1/2" border.

10. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture over the buttered dough and begin the rolling process. Roll the dough up in a tight roll, starting with the long side. Pinch the seam together so your rolls will not fall apart.

11. Using a dough cutter (or as my mom uses plain floss) cut out each of your rolls. I cut mine to be about 1 1/2" thick. Keep the roll together the best you can. (I had to use my hands to form each of them a little.) Place each roll in the buttered pan starting with the middle and working out, it will look prettier.

12. Once all the rolls are in the pan, brush remaining melted butter on top of the rolls.

13. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

14. Cool buns in pan for 10 minutes. And make the glaze.

15. For the glaze, melt butter in sauce pan over low heat; remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in milk 1 tbsp at a time until it has the consistency of syrup.

16. Drizzle over cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!