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grandma delsie's cinnamon rolls

(15 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Shelia Senghas
Concan, TX

Grandma Delsie's Cinnamon Rolls will have you salivating with the aromas filtering from your kitchen as they bake. This recipe is from my Grandma, including notes and instructions on making the rolls, the delicious cinnamon filling, and the icing to top them. These rolls do not need sugar added to the dough. They are light and airy, filled with sweet cinnamon goodness, and just the right amount of sweet frosting on top.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Nothing smells or tastes better than cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. We could not wait to taste these rolls while they were baking. They rise wonderfully to make the fluffiest cinnamon rolls. The dough is not too sweet and the cinnamon sugar mixture is perfectly balanced with the buttery flavor. If you like a lot of icing on your cinnamon rolls, we'd suggest doubling the recipe (we did).

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(15 ratings)
yield 20 -32 depending on desired size
prep time 3 Hr 30 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For grandma delsie's cinnamon rolls

  • ROLLS
  • 3/4 c
    milk
  • 1/2 c
    shortening
  • 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 2 pkg
    active dry yeast
  • 1/2 c
    warm water (120 to 115 degrees F)
  • 4 1/4 c
    - 4 3/4 cups sifted flour
  • 2
    eggs
  • FILLING
  • 1 c
    sugar
  • 1/2 c
    melted butter
  • 1 Tbsp
    cinnamon
  • 1/2 c
    raisins (optional)
  • ICING
  • 1 c
    confectioners' sugar
  • 1-2 Tbsp
    milk
  • 1/2 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • dash
    salt

How To Make grandma delsie's cinnamon rolls

  • Scalding milk, shortening, sugar, and salt.
    1
    To make the rolls, scald the milk in a saucepan; add the shortening, sugar, and salt. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to lukewarm.
  • Yeast sprinkled over warm water.
    2
    In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the warm water; stir to dissolve.
  • Flour added to the milk mixture.
    3
    Add 1 1/2 cups of the measured flour to the milk mixture; beat well. If not using a mixer, beat with a wooden spoon.
  • Beating eggs and yeast.
    4
    Beat in the eggs and yeast.
  • Stirring in flour.
    5
    Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl. Dough will be slightly sticky.
  • Dough resting on the counter.
    6
    Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Kneaded dough on the counter.
    7
    Knead, incorporating a little more flour as necessary, until smooth, satiny, and no longer sticky, about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep your hands dusted with flour to prevent sticking. Kneading is necessary to produce the great texture of these rolls.
  • Dough resting in a bowl and doubling in size.
    8
    Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, invert to grease the top, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and turn out onto a board.
  • Rolling half the dough.
    9
    Divide dough in half. Lightly grease the counter or board. Roll each half into a 14 x 6-inch rectangle.
  • Sugar, melted butter, and ground cinnamon combined in a bowl.
    10
    For the filling, combine the sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon.
  • Cinnamon mixture spread over dough.
    11
    Spread half of the mixture on each rectangle. Scatter raisins on each rectangle, if using.
  • Sliced rolls in a baking dish.
    12
    Roll up each rectangle lengthwise as for a jelly roll. Seal the edges and cut dough into 1-inch slices. Place cut side down in 2 well-greased square baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled. Lightly brush melted butter on the tops of the rolls. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.
    13
    Bake 25-30 minutes.
  • Confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla whisked together.
    14
    For the icing, mix the confectioners' sugar with the milk or cream to enable spreading consistency. Add the vanilla and salt and stir until combined.
  • Icing drizzled over the cinnamon rolls.
    15
    Frost the rolls while still warm. Note 1: Though this dough can be made by hand mixing, I mixed the dough in my KitchenAid mixer. I let the mixer knead the dough for 10 minutes on low and then I hand-kneaded the dough another 5 minutes before placing them in the bowl to rise. Note 2: I like to let my dough rise in the oven. I cover it with a lightweight cloth and put it in the oven. I put a shallow pan of hot water beneath the bowl of dough on a lower rack in the oven. Note 3: I cut the rolls between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches because Grandma’s cinnamon rolls were always big. These can be baked in a round, rectangle, or square pan.
  • 16
    Every time I bake these for my family, my first memory of these rolls comes back to me. I was 4 years old and I was out on the tractor with Grandpa one chilly morning. We had just left the barn and were moving hay to the pasture for his cows. I caught a whiff of something in the air. I said, "Grandpa, what is that good smell?" He lifted his head and said, "Oh wee! Grandma's baking cinnamon rolls." I was sitting on top of this lap and he turned that tractor around so fast that I almost fell off. We got to the house and raced inside the kitchen door and I guess Grandma had been watching us from the window. She was standing there with her rolling pin, slapping it in her hand. She looked sternly at Grandpa and said, "If you're ever going to drive the tractor like that again while that child is with you, you're going to be seeing stars." Grandpa and I sat down and Grandma placed a glass of milk and one of her big cinnamon rolls in front of us. When Grandma had her back to us, I leaned in and whispered, "Grandpa, this is so yummy I think it's worth seeing the stars." Grandpa smiled back at me and winked. From then on when I was with Grandpa on the tractor I would say, "Go faster Grandpa." He would reply, "No siree, Grandpa don't want to see stars today." We would laugh and giggle.
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