Healthier Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls - healthier version

2 cups 1% milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 package active dry yeast(2 1/4 tsp)

2 cups whole wheat flour plus 1/2 to 1 cup more

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tbs salt

melted margarine

3/4 cup sugar

cinnamon

Icing

1/4 cup 1% milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 2 cups of whole wheat flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour. 

After rising for at least an hour, add 1/2 cup to 1 cup more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle about 1/2 cup melted margarine over the dough. Now sprinkle sugar over the margarine followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted margarine in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Icing - Alton Brown

Combine milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until warm. Sift confectioners' sugar into milk mixture. Whisk slowly, until well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat and drizzle immediately over warm cinnamon rolls.