Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

ROLLS:

  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 5 tbsps granulated white sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsps instant quick-rise yeast
  • 1 large whole egg, room temperature, lightly whisked
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Oil
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsps ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsps melted butter

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 1/2 cup (4 oz.) cream cheese room temperature
  • 2 tbsps melted butter
  • 2 tbsps milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat your home or bakery oven to 200F or 100C.
  2. In a bowl, combine first 4 ingredients and let the yeast develop. This should take around 10 minutes. You can tell that the yeast has activated when the liquid has become frothy.
  3. In a separate bigger bowl, combine the egg and the yeast mixture. Once thoroughly mixed, add in 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and the salt. Mix until you get a soft dough. This dough will be sticky.
  4. Remove the dough from the bowl and put onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. This should take about 2 minutes. Make sure that you occasionally roll your dough into the flour to stop it from sticking to your fingers and palm as you work it. Once done kneading, form into a ball.
  5. Next. lightly coat a large clean bowl with oil and place your dough ball  in it, turning once to coat all surfaces lightly with the oil. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp towel.
  6. Turn off your oven and place the bowl with the dough in it to rise. The warmth will help the dough rise better. The dough should double in size in 30 minutes. To ensure that the dough has risen enough, check by gently pressing two fingers into your dough. If it does not return to its original shape, it needs more proofing time. if you have a dough proofer, you can use this instead of the warm oven for the rising stage.
  7. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down and knead for a couple of minutes. Place back in the bowl and let rest for another 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
  8. Once you are done with the second rising, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into a 12-inch x 18–inch rectangle. You can use a rolling pin to do this or your hands, whichever works for you.
  9. When the dough has been rolled out, brush melted butter over the surface. Mix together your cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the melted butter. You can choose to rub the cinnamon and sugar mixture into the butter or leave it as is. You can also add raisins to the mixture or sprinkle it on top.
  10. Next, you roll the dough, beginning at one long side. Carefully roll up the dough tightly, like you would roll a jelly-roll, and gently pinch the seams down to seal.
  11. With a dough cutter, trim the ends to help create even slices. Measure the dough for accuracy and cut into equal slices. The roll can create between 12 and 15 slices.
  12. Next, arrange the cut cinnamon rolls in a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking pan or dish. You can sprinkle additional sugar and cinnamon mixture at the bottom of the pan before placing your rolls. This will give you sticky cinnamon rolls.
  13. Cover the arranged rolls with the damp towel again and let rise one final time for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
  14. Preheat your oven again, this time for baking. Make sure that the temperature is at 350F or 175F before you place your rolls in the oven.
  15. Remove the towel from the rolls and place in oven for 25 minutes to bake. Check until lightly golden before removing from oven. Cool slightly before adding the frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth and add butter and vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you get a smooth and runny frosting. Make sure it has no lumps before spreading over cooled cinnamon rolls.