Betty’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups pecan halves (optional)
• 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 8 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup butter, melted, divided
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maple-flavored extract (optional)

Directions

Mix 1 1/2 cup white sugar, cinnamon, and pecans together in a bowl; set aside to be used as filling later.

Whisk yeast and warm water together in a separate bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon white sugar. Continue whisking until well incorporated. Set aside until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, 10 to 20 minutes.

Place warm milk, 2/3 cup white sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, eggs, and yeast mixture in a stand mixer; mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Add 4 cups flour; mix on medium until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a large bowl; knead the remaining 4 cups flour into dough with hands until dough is slightly stiff and sticky, 10 minutes.

Transfer dough to a large greased bowl; cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove plastic wrap from bowl and punch down dough. Set dough aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Roll dough out onto a well-floured surface, forming a 15×20-inch rectangle. Brush entire rectangle of dough with 1/2 cup melted butter; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar filling. Tightly roll up dough, starting from a long end and pinch edges together to seal. Cut dough, using dental floss, into 15 to 20 slices.

Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with 1/2 cup melted butter; sprinkle with 1/3 cup white sugar.

Arrange cinnamon rolls close together in the prepared casserole dish. Allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Beat confectioners' sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, vanilla extract, and maple extract together in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.