Cinnamon Rolls

I'm pretty sure my son would eat these every day if he could.  These are his FAVORITE treat.  The day after I made them, he was walking around the kitchen.  "What are you looking for, bud?"  He wanted his cinnamon rolls.  Yeah, they were gone because I ate them all.  I fully admit that I have no self control when eating cinnamon rolls!

Cinnamon rolls aren't hard to make- just time consuming.  From start to 'in your mouth goodness' is about 2 1/2 hours- but most of that time is babysitting.  To me, cinnamon rolls are worth the time.  When you have that gooey warm frosted center melting in your mouth.......

....you seem to forget how long it took to make them!

RECIPE

Dough:  1/4 C. warm water

1 TBL yeast

1 TBL sugar

1 C. milk

1/4 C. butter

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/4 C. instant vanilla pudding

4 C. bread flour

Filling:  1/4 C. butter, softened

1 C. packed brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting:  4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 C. butter, softened

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

* In a large bowl, whisk salt, pudding and flour together and set aside.  In a Kitchen Aid, using a dough hook attachment, combine the water, yeast and sugar.  Let that sit while you warm the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.  Stir occasionally- when the butter starts to melt, test the temperature with your finger.  I take it off when it's warm to the touch.  Pour it in with your yeast mixture.  Add the flour mixture and egg and knead for 5-8 minutes.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl and cover with saran wrap.  Let rise until doubled in size.  Punch down and knead the remaining air bubbles out of the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough into a 10X17" rectangle (I get a ruler out to make sure I'm pretty close).  Spread the butter over the top with your fingers, then the brown sugar, then the cinnamon.  Roll the long side up, jelly roll style, and pinch the seam together.  Using a long piece of floss, cut 21 rolls and place them in a greased 9X13 and 8X8 pan.  Cover and let them raise until they're touching (see the pictures below).  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, turning half way thru (you want them golden brown on top).  Place on a cooling rack while you whip the frosting ingredients together.  Spread over the warm rolls and.....may the best man win!   

Rolled and cut.....

...and ready for the oven.  I put mine in while it's preheating.

Tips: 

• Go slow when rolling up the dough.  You almost have to lift and tuck it at the same time to keep the brown sugar from getting pushed out.  Keep it as tight as possible.
• My sister likes her cinnamon rolls thick, so she only cuts 12 (and bakes them a little longer).  I also like mine a little thicker (cause I love those gooey centers) so I only cut 19 and use a round cake pan instead of the 8X8.  
• Using floss to cut the dough is a common trick, but just in case you've never done it- slide the floss under the dough, cross the ends over the top and pull down and out until it's straight again.  Cuts the rolls perfectly.  
• Use a knife to make a small mark on the dough where it needs to be cut as a reference point.
• We eat any leftovers for breakfast with scrambled eggs.