Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Happy Mother's Day! To all you readers out there, I hope you are celebrating the life or memory of your mother and all that she means to you. And for those of you who are mothers yourself, congratulations for a job well done! Parenting is no joke, or so I hear.

I also hear that Mother's Day brunch is all the rage these days. But if I was in the same state and able to celebrate with my mother in person today, I would probably make something special for her at home, such as these delicious homemade cinnamon rolls I adapted from Alexandra Cooks. Warm from the oven and smothered in a generous amount of cream cheese frosting, I promise you that these are better than Pillsbury. 

 

Are these quick to make? The answer is not really. But they are not difficult? Definitely not. Like with any homemade bread product, you just need to be patient and let these babies rise for a few hours. So most of the prep time is hands-off, you just need to be puttering around the house somewhere. The great news is that you can even do the prep work the night before, and simply bake them the next morning. That way, even dad/your husband/your kids could pop them in the oven and "surprise" you with a tasty treat!

Ingredients:

Dough:
1 cup whole milk (or ½ cup milk + ½ cup half and half)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups (or more) flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon table salt
Nonstick vegetable oil 

Filling:
3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

1.     Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 125°F, about 1 minute. It should be warm but not hot. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.

2.     Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Switch to the dough hook and knead dough for 5-6 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3.     Lightly oil a large bowl with vegetable oil. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

4.     Meanwhile, mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface (I used a floured baking sheet to keep things from getting messy). Roll out to 15×11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into a long log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

5.     Grease two 9-inch baking dishes (square or round, I preferred round) with vegetable spray, oil, or butter. Divide rolls between baking dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in a warm area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

6.     Note: If you are baking the rolls tomorrow, place the pans in the fridge at this point. The next morning, remove and from fridge let come to room temp for one hour before baking; also remove butter and cream cheese for frosting at this time so it can begin to soften. 

7.     Preheat oven to 375°F and bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

8.     For glaze, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls and serve warm.