We enjoy these cinnamon rolls with a pot of hot rooibos tea for brunch on the weekends. This recipe prepares approximately 1 dozen rolls. They keep well, if covered properly. Surprisingly, these cinnamon rolls a lovely golden-orange, not the deep brown I expected to see with the inclusion of molasses in the dough.
In a saucepan over low heat, gently combine ¼ cup butter, 1 cup whole milk and ¼ cup molasses until well-blended and heated to blood temperature.
Combine flour mixture with liquid until well blended.
Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
Allow the dough to rise until double in bulk. I use an Excalibur dehydrator set to approximately 110 ° F to encourage an even and easy rise.
When the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out to a thickness of approximately ½-inch or slightly less.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 ° F and prepare the filling by melting the remaining ¼ cup butter with cinnamon and date sugar.*
Once the butter has melted and the cinnamon and date sugar are well-combined, gently spread the filling onto the surface of the dough.
Sprinkle on cranberries.
Gently roll the dough into a tube-like shape.
Cut the roll into 1-inch pieces. You may use a sharp knife for this, but I find that cutting the rolls with a string is more effective and results in a cleaner cut.
To cut the rolls with string, simply slide a stretch of lightweight string beneath the roll to the approximate place that you wish to make the cut. Next pull up on the string, crossing the ends at the top and pulling. This will slice the roll straight through without mashing it.