Cinnamon Rolls

My amazing husband turned 28 this past November 21st. So first, let me again wish a very happy birthday to the world's greatest hubby (as should you, reader, since he suggested this blog in the first place!).

Now then. I decided to make some cinnamon rolls for my husband's birthday breakfast, as he LOVES those Cinnabon cinnamon rolls they sell at the mall. It's been awhile since I've had a Cinnabon, but I think that these are a bit less dense than Cinnabon--though every bit as delicious. Huge, soft, cinnamon-y, and with loads of gooey frosting, these are sure to become a staple in our breakfast line-up! (And if you can't eat 16 at once, you can freeze them for future breakfasts, too!). Original recipe found here.

 You will need:

For dough:

1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup warm milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

For cinnamon filling:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional: I did not use these)

For frosting (doubled from the original recipe--I like a lot of frosting):
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons milk

First, add yeast to warm water (be sure the water is warm--the yeast needs warm temperatures to activate). Set aside for ten minutes or until it becomes foamy. Meanwhile, cream together the pudding, butter, and sugar. Add milk, egg, and vanilla. Add the yeast mixture. Finally, add the salt and flour, one cup at a time until combined. Knead by hand on a floured surface until dough is elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl for an hour and allow to rise until double in size.

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Cream together butter, sugar, cinnamon, and, if desired, pecans or raisins. Set aside.

When dough is ready, roll out the dough into a 17x10 inch rectangle. I am terrible about guesstimating sizes, but this is about the size of a large cutting board. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling on the inside of the rectangle. Next, roll the dough from the longer side until you have a cinnamon roll log. Cut into 16, one-inch slices and place in a greased pan for an additional hour, until the rolls have doubled in size. (You may want to refrigerate the rolls first to make cutting a bit easier).

Bake cinnamon rolls at 350 degrees for 12 to 16 minutes. When they come out of the oven, the dough should be firm but not brown and look something like this:

Finally, prepare the frosting. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add milk and vanilla extract. Then, in batches to avoid a sugar explosion, add in the powdered sugar until the frosting thickens. Spread liberally over all cinnamon rolls while rolls are still warm. See below:

And that's all there is to it! With the wait time for the dough rising, the process does take a few hours. BUT, most of it is not active cooking time, and if you have a family of four, you can enjoy delicious, homemade cinnamon rolls four times for only one day's worth of cooking. And since the husband ate two, the recipe passes the seconds test--so you won't regret the effort once you bite into one! So, break out your rolling pin and inner baker, and enjoy!