Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

The whole 500Jerk family joined in making the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls last Sunday.

The first step--making the dough--happened the day before, and I don't know if it was the tremendously active yeast I used or the fact that I initially set the dough out to rise in a 200 degree oven, but that dough was ALIVE. Like SCARY ALIVE. It kept rising to the top of the mixing bowl and oozing over the top, like it was about to blow. I would punch it down worriedly, then stick it back in the refrigerator, muttering a prayer under my breath. I was scared to leave it alone overnight. I thought I might come down Sunday morning and the dough would have opened up the refrigerator, and I don't know, made itself a cup of coffee or something. Yeast is scary stuff.

But Sunday morning, all was well. We set to rolling out the dough.



By this time, the dough was very cooperative and lay down quite nicely.

Then we covered it in melted butter, sugar, and copious amounts of cinnamon.

Then--and this is the fun part--we rolled it all up into a long loaf.

The whole family started getting very excited. Then, we sliced it up.

And set our rolls out in the pan to rise.

This is the floury aftermath.

But where is the fruit of all this labor? The product of all this weekend baking insanity? Where is the picture of the just-baked cinnamon rolls, oozing warm butter and sugar, and gloriously smothered in a white sugar icing?

Friends, I'm afraid that a misty cinnamon haze rose up in the 500Jerk house and overpowered its occupants such that they were helpless to do anything but raise their forks toward their mouths. Again and again and again. Until every last crumb of cinnamon roll was gone and every last smidgen of icing was wiped away. Only then did we realize that we had gobbled down the cinnamon rolls before they could be forever memorialized in all their breakfast gloriousness.

Many apologies, but let me direct you a photo of these delectable pastries at the Pioneer Woman's website.

Enjoy!