Easy Homemade Caramel Rolls

Here is one of the recipes that the 4-Hers made this morning.  They were tasty!  Check out the tip at the end for easier cutting.  If you came to the adult workshop, there was a slight typo in your book.  This one is correct.

Beginner's Caramel Rolls

Yield: 12 rolls

Dough

4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 packets RapidRise Yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups water

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 egg

Caramel Syrup

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup

1 cup pecan halves, chopped or toasted if desired

Filling

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, very soft

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, dry yeast and salt in a large mixer bowl and stir until blended. Place water and butter in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120° to 130°F.  Butter won’t melt completely). Add to flour mixture with egg.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.  Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.

To make Caramel Syrup, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Bring to a boil for just 30 seconds.   Remove from heat and pour into 13 x 9-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Sprinkle pecans over the caramel.

For filling, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Roll dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle using a rolling pin.   Spread 3 tablespoons butter over dough stopping at least 1/2-inch from the edges on the long sides. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Beginning at long end of each rectangle, roll up tightly.  Pinch seams to seal.  Cut into 12 equal pieces.  Place, cut sides down, in prepared pan. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 28 to 33 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes and then invert onto serving tray.  Gently pour any caramel remaining in the baking pan over the rolls.

Helpful Tip:  Use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife to cut rolls.  To do, cut a piece of floss about 12 inches long.  Slide floss under the roll; bring the ends up and cross over to cut each slice.