Cinnamon Rolls

To DIE for Cinnamon Rolls

Oven Temperature: 375 Degrees

Prep. Time: 1 Day

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total: 2 Days

Hey Everyone! For my first post I want to share a recipe that is very close to my heart. It is a recipe that truly defines me through my style of cooking. I have a ridiculous sweet tooth, and this recipe seems to be able to satisfy it, even if it is just temporarily! These cinnamon rolls are fluffy. From the beginning they rise into fluffy pillow like rolls. As they bake you will literally drool next to the oven from the wonderful aroma they let out. They come out of the oven, bubbling with yumminess. As you spread the frosting onto these warm rolls, it is sucked in leaving a glossy shine to the top of each roll. The cinnamon sugar coating will drip out into this elastic heaven as you pull each roll out. And then you take a bite. That bite. That bite. As you put it in your mouth you feel the heat cooling down. The dough, it has the perfect balance of elasticity to fluff. Then you reach the cinnamon sugar. The butter coats each individual sugar crystal and you taste the sharpness of the cinnamon. And the frosting, don't forget the frosting. It sweet, it's cheesy, but wait . . . It's tart. You taste the slightest hint of lemon and the pure vanilla. The frosting is so light. It is so fluffy. The entire thing is a perfect marriage. And that was just the first bite!

Ingredients:

Rolls

1 tbsp Yeast

1/4 Cup Warm Water

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Sugar (Separate 1 tsp)

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Butter

3/4 Cup Milk

4 1/2 - 5 Cups Flour

Filling

1/3 Cup Butter (Softened)

1 cup Brown Sugar

3 tbsp Ground Cinnamon

Frosting

6 oz. Cream Cheese (Softened)

1/2 Cup Butter (Softened)

3 Cups Confectioners Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Lemon Zest

Directions:

Begin by whisking the yeast and 1 tsp sugar into the warm water. Make sure the water is not warmer than 110 degrees or you will kill the yeast! Set the yeast mixture aside.

Grab a bowl. Crack the eggs and add the sugar. With a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, begin beating immediately. Sugar will cook the eggs if it sits on them without being beat into them. As your mixture is being beat, add the salt. Mix them real good. Like you mean it.

Now, in a small saucepan melt the butter. As soon as it is melted and starting to boil, add the milk and take it off the heat. If your mixture is not taken off the heat it will be too hot and kill the yeast. And you don't want your yeast dead.

With the mixer on low add the butter and milk mixture to the egg mixture. Mix it well and then add the dissolved yeast. Mix again.

Add the flour, one cup at a time. Mix well between each addition. When you reach the fourth cup of flour let the mixer run on medium speed for 4 minutes. Now you will determine how much more flour to add. I always use 4/12 cups of flour. You can use five if you feel it is too sticky, but I don't recommend it. NEVER ADD MORE THAN FIVE CUPS OF FLOUR. NEVER, because your dough needs to be sticky and not stiff.

Now scrape all the dough into a big ball. Place it into a greased bowl. Wrap the bowl and refrigerate the dough over night. Watch a movie, call a friend, get some sleep.

The next day, take the dough out of the fridge and place it on a clean and floured surface. Pat the dough down into and even rectangle and begin to roll out into a rectangle. Roll into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is not too thick. 1/4 inch is sufficient. 

After the dough is rolled, take the creamy softened butter and spread evenly over the entire rectangle. Leave an inch of uncovered dough hot dog style. Now, take the brown sugar and crumble evenly to coat the butter. Take the cinnamon, and generously sprinkle over the brown sugar.

Here comes the rolling! Start to roll the cinnamon rolls. Roll it tightly, but not too tightly, but tight enough. You get the idea. Seal the roll by putting water on the clean inch of dough. Rotate the dough so the sealed edge is touching your work surface.

With a serrated knife, and using a back and forth sawing motion, slice the roll in half. Now slice each roll in half again. Slice each quarter into 3 different 1 inch rolls. You should get 12 rolls. Lightly butter a 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle cinnamon all over the bottom. Align the rolls in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap. and set aside for 2-3 hours to allow them to rise and double in size.

When you are ready to bake the rolls, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pan in the center rack and set the timer for 15 minutes. While the rolls are baking make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and zest.  Beat for 10 minutes on high speed. Check on the rolls. Bake them until they are evenly browned. As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, smother them with a generous amount of frosting.

Now comes the best part! EAT and ENJOY!