Cinnamon Rolls

I can't believe it has taken me this long to put up this recipe. These are the yummiest cinnamon rolls I have ever eaten. One day at work, my coworkers and I spent almost an entire lunch break discussing cinnamon rolls. You may think this sounds crazy, but here is a list of topics that came out of our discussion:

1. Should they be topped with cream cheese icing, or a glaze? (Duh! Cream cheese icing all the way)
2. Doughy buns or biscuit-y buns (I prefer my buns masculine, plump, and perky)
3. How much cinnamon is too much?
4. Can we, mere mortals of the baking world, ever re-create Cinnabon's near-perfect offering? Probably not.
5. Do raisins have any business being in a cinnamon bun? My personal preference is for raisins to stick to what they do best...oatmeal cookies.

I do find these buns a little tricky to make, and I think the key is ensuring the warmed milk is not too hot or else it will start to cook the dough during the rising process.

Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from Michael Smith's Recipe)

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 cup milk (do not use skim)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 ounce package instant yeast
• 4 eggs

Filling:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing:

• 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Dough:

1. Gently warm the milk, butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small pot. Don’t bring to a simmer; warm just enough to melt the butter.
2. Measure half of the flour ( 2 1/2 cups) into the bowl of your stand mixer along with the yeast.
3. Add the warm milk and melted butter mixture to the flour and beat with your paddle attachment until smooth.
4. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until smooth before proceeding. Switch to a dough hook and add the remaining flour.
5. Remove and knead until a soft dough forms that is no longer sticky to the touch, about 5 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rest in a warm place until dough doubles in size. This could take as long as 2 hours.

Filling:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. Once the dough has risen, knock it down and let it rest for a few minutes.
3. Flour your work surface, the dough, your hands and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a long rectangle shape, about 18 x 12 inches, with the long side facing you.
4. Evenly spread the cinnamon filling all over the top of the dough, leaving 1 or 2 inches uncovered along the top edge. Leaving a border helps the dough stick together when you form the roll.
5. Roll into a long, tight, cigar-shaped log from the covered long edge to the uncovered long edge. Brush the outside of the log with oil or melted butter.
6. Slice the dough log into 12 or 16 sections. Turn each on its side and position evenly in a lightly oiled 15- x 10-inch baking pan.
7. Rest, uncovered, until the dough doubles in size once again and the rolls swell into each other, filling the pan.
8. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
9. When the dough has risen a second time, bake for 30 minutes.

Icing:

1. When the cinnamon rolls have cooled enough to handle, beat together the icing ingredients and spread all over the rolls. Serve immediately!