Cinnamon Rolls!

So this year I’ve decided to start a Christmas morning tradition.  Fresh yeast cinnamon rolls.  In my mind there really is nothing like a good  hot cinnamon roll right out of the oven.  After playing around with a couple of recipes, I've found that this one makes an almost perfect cinnamon roll.  Soft and fluffy with an ooey-gooey center with a nice not too-sweet frosting on top.

For the dough :

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 cup warm milk (about 105⁰)

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs + 1 yolk

1/3 cup melted butter

4 cups of all purpose flour

For the filling :

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup butter (melted)

For the icing :

8 tablespoon butter (softened)

1 ½ cups of powdered sugar

½ cup cream cheese

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Process:

Begin by dissolving the sugar, yeast and salt in the warm milk.  Allow this to set for about 5 minutes, this gives the yeast a minute or two to come back to life.

Blend your eggs and butter into the milk mixture.

Slowly add the flour 1 cup at a time until a nice dough begins to form. 

Once all ingredients are combined, knead thoroughly on a floured surface for approximately 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and firm.

Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until the size has doubled (approx. 1 – 2 hours, the cooler your kitchen the longer your rise times)

Mix the brown sugars and cinnamon and put them to the side.

Once the dough is ready, punch it down and roll it out into a rectangle that is approximately ¼ of an inch thick.

Take the dough and rub the melted butter all over, next sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture all over and massage it into the dough.

Now we roll!  Take the longest edge of the rectangle and begin rolling it tightly up, try to leave as little space 

as possible between the layers of the dough.

Once you have rolled the dough into a nice little spiral; slice it into 1 ½ inch slices, take the slices and place them on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Cover with a warm damp cloth and allow rolls to rise for an additional hour.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Once the rolls have doubled in size place in the oven and bake until the tops begin to lightly brown.

Icing!

While the cinnamon rolls are baking; cream butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt with your mixer.  Once that is smooth slowly add your powdered sugar and whip until it becomes fluffy.

Frost the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven and try to wait at least five minutes for them to cool down before you eat one.  I will not be held responsible for burnt mouths!

Enjoy!