So, I've been working on this recipe for a while. It's getting pretty close now. Since making a basic glaze for cinnamon rolls was proving, well, not very tasty, I decided maybe caramel was the way to go. The big problem? Caramel has dairy and corn as it's main ingredients. The big challenge was to change that AND still have it taste like caramel. These have gone over pretty good! : ) Since today is like -25 cinnamon rolls seem like the way to go, so I made some promises to people to post this so they could spend the day covered in sugar and yeast too! Special thanks to my friend Christy for coming up with the basic roll recipe that I've used -- it was the perfect base!
Jessica's Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
2 c water
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp salt
6 c flour
2 T yeast
Additional olive oil (a couple tablespoons...)
about 1/2 c sugar and 3-4 T cinnamon
Halved pecans if desired
Combine 4 c flour and yeast in large bowl (or kitchen aid bowl). In large microwave safe bowl add water, sugar, oil and salt. Microwave until sugar is dissolved and water is warm (I use the "finger test" -- if you can keep your finger in the water 10 sec, it's the right temp. If you can't, it needs to cool.) Add to flour and mix well until completely combined. Add remaining flour and mix to form a soft dough (dough should clean sides of bowl -- if it is too sticky add a 1/2 c more flour). Oil bowl with a little olive oil and let rise, covered, in warm place (I heat the oven on the lowest temp and then turn it off and put it in there) til double -- 30-45 min. Meanwhile, make caramel.
Caramel (I've started doubling it and like it a lot more!)
1/4 c coconut oil
1 T rice syrup (or corn syrup or other sugar syrup -- I'll post one I found, but haven't tried yet)
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 T coconut cream (I skim the top thick layer off of regular canned coconut milk)
Bring to a boil. Boil about 1 min. Remove from heat. Pour into a 12x18, greased pan or 2 9x13 greased pans.
Roll dough out into a rectangle, roughly 18x20ish. (This is what happens when I make stuff up...). Brush with olive oil (you don't want it dripping, just a coating). Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (if you want, normal people mix the cinnamon and sugar together first...I literally have never measured this part. I just use the "sprinkle" side of my cinnamon jar and put a layer, than sprinkle a generous layer of sugar on top of that. I'm guessing on the amounts I've given. Feel free to add more or less as needed! Roll up jellyroll style. Cut into roughly 1 inch thick discs and set into caramel in pan. (for pecan caramel rolls, sprinkle in pecans before setting dough in). Preheat oven to 375. Let rise in warm place until roughly doubled in size. Bake at 375 for 20 min or until just beginning to turn golden brown (to keep them soft, do not let them get crispy brown). Remove from oven and immediately invert over a cookie sheet to let all the caramel goodness ooze down the sides. Try not to eat them in the first 5 minutes -- you'll burn your fingers. Highly recommend adding a cup of coffee while you wait for them to cool enough to eat...
Now, I have played around with other oils in the caramel, but eh...the coconut oil is, a)way healthier and b)adds a flavor that makes people really confused when you tell them there is no butter...I think the most common question is "how do you get them so buttery then?". Same with the coconut cream. Regular cream would obviously work (if you can have dairy...). I would imagine 1 T of any milk would work, though not quite as rich of a taste. I plan on making these myself today, so I'll add a picture later on...I think I'll play around with making some wheat free too.
If you don't have rice syrup, you could substitute 100% maple syrup, agave nectar or the sugar syrup below...
2 c sugar
3/4 c water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Bring to boil and cook to softball stage. Cool -- stores at room temp up to 2 months.
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