Cinnamon Roll Chuckle

I've always had trouble perfecting my mom's cinnamon roll recipe. I've always blamed the right combo of yeast with not to hot and not to cold water. However two weekends ago I decided to bake them for a birthday party and I made an amazing (read embarrassing) discovery. You mix the dough and let it raise for an hour. Then you roll it out and put all the yummyness on top. Like so... 

Next the recipe says to roll and cut. Roll and Cut. ROLL and cut. What I had been doing was cutting the 1 inch strips, and then rolling. It was difficult and messy and so inefficient. I don't know why I did it that way. I mean, I consider myself a smart girl, and savvy in the kitchen. When you follow the recipe correctly, "ROLL" looks like this...

Then when you cut...it is much easier and ready to be placed on the pan. 

Let it rise another 45 minutes

Bake, and TA-DA! Cinnamon rolls that look like mom's!!! 

 

When I told my mother she laughed so hard I thought she was going to fall over. 

Then she said, "I can't wait to tell your grandma." 

At least I didn't have to put books on the dough to keep it pinned down in a circle to put the toppings on! Another family story, for another day...