Old World Charm – Modern Living Cinnamon Roll Bread

1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp yeast (I use quick rise)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup flour
1/4 heaping tsp baking powder
1/4 almost tsp baking soda
1/4 heaping teaspoon salt
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup sugar (I prefer 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, but either works)
cinnamon to sprinkle over top
*optional chopped nuts of your choice (if you choose to use nuts, know that the bread will fall apart very easy)

Pan used is an 8×4″ loaf pan

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Stick in microwave for about 1 minute. The time varies. You want it warm enough you can add the yeast without scorching, but not cool enough that the yeast won’t react. I have found 1 minute works great for my microwave.

Mix in 3 teaspoons yeast, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp cinnamon (you can leave out, but I like the bread to also include the cinnamon), and 2 cups all-purpose flour.

Set it aside for one hour. I cover it with some plastic to keep warm and activate the yeast further like above.

 

You can see by the above picture, I do a semi-rectangular piece. And you’ll also note that I have plenty of flour all over the place. I don’t mind being generous to keep it from sticking on the bottom. If you want to add some nuts, go for it. Just make sure they aren’t too big, or too much. The bread separates very easy when cooking with too many, and then you have a huge mess on your hands. But it’s still good!

Ask me how I found that out.

 

Optional, smother top with butter as I did above.

Here is a trick to how I rise, then cook. Put oven on warm (or 120*) and let it warm up while you’re rolling the dough out. Then turn off oven once warmed a little. Place dough as the above picture, into oven and set for 30 minutes to rise. Without removing the dough, after 30 minutes, turn oven on to 400*. Easy!

Or just set dough aside 30 minutes to rise, then cook.

Cook for 15 minutes-20 minutes until the top is a brown you like, I think darker brown is the best flavor, but at least do it until past the golden stage or you’ll have to cook longer in your second step. Cover loosely with foil, cook 20-30 minutes more.

You want to cook long enough that the center cooks, but because it’s got butter, the center may still remain a little uncooked looking in spots even when cooked. I’ve found 20 minutes, top with foil (doesn’t have to be tight, just so oven doesn’t brown top anymore) then 20 minutes again works for me.

Set aside to cool (hard part!)

 

This is the most delicious snack.

If you try it, let me know. There are a lot of steps, but this is actually a really easy bread to make. I have made it a bunch of times and it doesn’t last but a few days.

You can also cut out the part with the cinnamon, butter, and sugar, then just have it rolled up plain. Still delicious.