Mini Cinnamon Rolls

For the past few weeks, I've been haunted by a major craving for cinnamon rolls. Every time I passed the biscuits in the refrigerator section at the grocery store, I could see that little dough boy staring at me from the can of sweet sticky cinnamon rolls. I never bought any because I wanted to try making them from scratch. Finally this morning I didn't have anything to do, so I began searching food blogs for a great recipe. Much to my chagrin, all of the recipes called for yeast. Now excuse me while I go off on a rabbit trail... Last year, I bought some of those little yeast packets. I put them in the cabinet where we keep all the baking powder/soda, corn starch, gelatin, etc. A few months later I wanted to make something with yeast, so I searched and searched and searched and could not find those freakin packets. To make a long story short, I bought them and they disappeared before I got to use them. That's why I didn't have yeast this morning! Great story, eh? Anyway, I decided to use a simple biscuit recipe but tweak it a little, and this is what I came up with. They are really delicious. I ate two while they were hot out of the oven!

Mini Cinnamon Rolls (10-12 small rolls)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cut into 8 cubes

1/2 cup COLD whole milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, to spread on the dough

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins, soaked in hot water until plump, then drained

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

2-3 teaspoons warm water

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 8x8, 9x9, or 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor or in a bowl. Mix well. Add cold butter and pulse in a food processor (a pastry cutter or a fork will work also) until the butter is the size of small peas. Pour in milk and mix just until dough comes together.

Working on a well-floured surface, knead dough 4 or 5 times. Roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using your hands or a pastry brush, smear butter over dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter and pat it down so it sticks. Sprinkle walnuts and raisins evenly over dough. Starting on the long side of the rectangle, roll into a long log. Cut ends off, and cut remaining log into slices about 1 inch thick.

Place rolls cut side down into a small baking pan about 1/4 inch apart if you want them to touch. Place rolls in a larger baking pan 1 inch apart if you do not want them to touch. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and make glaze.

Whisk together confectioners' sugar and water together to make a paste (add more water 1/2 teaspoon at a time if it's too thick). Spread glaze over warm rolls. Enjoy!