Yumminess {Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls}

Some days I find my self needing some good therapy. You know. Shopping therapy. Massage therapy. Chic flick therapy. But, most important, baking therapy. I’m not alone here, am I? Don’t you just love to bake something utterly fattening, full of calories, oozing with goodness, sure to curb your sweet tooth?? Unfortunately most of those characteristics include a dessert that contains butter: which is completely off limits to me {you know, the whole dairy-free thing I have going on. Darn you!} Fortunately, it’s not off limits to the rest of my household…..friendly neighbors across the street….or Ben’s coworkers at the fire station. I am single handedly curbing everybody’s sweet tooth in a one-mile radius of my home. {Okay, that’s exaggerating. Maybe just my house, and the house across the street…and the house down the street….}
My sweet mother-in-law gave me a book last week. And I have been reading it religiously every evening. Every evening. Not exaggerating! To tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, I stayed up past 1:00 am the first night pouring over the pages. I wish I could say it was the bible, or some other important book, but no. It was a cook book. Raise your hand if you read cookbooks like they are the holy grail. Anyone? Anyone? I think I am obsessed. But it’s just not any cookbook. It is the Worldwide Ward Cook Book: Secret Recipes.  I am in serious recipe heaven!
My first recipe I made was Oven-Baked Jambalaya. {In honor of my Mom!} It was so amazingly good. I was scared when it said it made 16 servings, 16?? and I almost halved the recipe, but ended up making the full batch. I think I ate at least 14 of those servings! Waste not, want not!
The second recipe of choice? Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting. YUMMO! They were amazing {so says those who tried them. Since, ahem, I could only smell them.} I have been so scared of making cinnamon rolls. I’ve made them a couple of times and they turned out doughy. Who wants doughy cinnamon rolls? Not me! But these were super easy.
Go ahead, try these. And let me know how they turn out!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls w/ Caramel Frosting

Rolls:

2 Tbsp. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

4-5 cups bread flour

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Wait 5 minutes.  Add pumpkin, sugar, salt, egg, 1/4 cup melted butter, cloves, and cinnamon; mix well.  Slowly add flour 1 cup at a time.  Scrape down sides of bowl after each addition of flour.  Turn into lightly greased bowl, cover, and set in warm place until double in bulk.  Punch down dough and let rest for 5 more minutes.  Roll dough out into a rectangle.  Brush dough with 2 Tbsp. of melted butter.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over butter.  Starting with long side of dough, roll up jelly-roll style.  Pinch seams to seal.  Using sharp serrated knife, cut roll into 12 1-inch slices.  Place rolls cut side up in greased 9x13-inch pan.  Cover and let rise until double, 30-45 minutes.  Bake rolls at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Caramel Frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Pinch of salt

1/2-3-4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

In a small saucepan, heat butter until melted.  Stir in brown sugar and milk.  Cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute.  Transfer to small bowl and cool mixture.  Stir in vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar.  Beat with electric mixer until well blended.  If necessary, add more sugar for desired consistency. Drizzle caramel frosting on rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Let cool until warm, then add the rest of the frosting. Enjoy! Makes 12 servings.