Tender, better than Cinnabon ooey and gooey Cinnamon Rolls dripping with brown sugary cinnamon insides and topped with this luscious cream cheese buttercream.
Remove butter, eggs and cream cheese from fridge, allow to come to room temp for recipe.
Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan and on low, bring to about 120°. Careful it can go from warm to hot fast. If too hot (greater than 130 degrees), let sit until cools slightly. Butter may not be completely melted, that's okay.
While milk is warming, place 2 cups of bread flour and yeast into bowl of mixer and gently mix to combine.
Slowly pour in milk, butter, sugar mixture into flour and yeast mixture, mixing on low.
Add room temperature eggs and the remaining 2 ¼ cups of flour, mixing well to combine. *Forget to take your eggs out, place in bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5-7 minutes)
After mixing the eggs and all flour in well, replace paddle attachment with J hook for kneading, knead for 5-10 minutes on a low setting, until dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky (sticking to the sides of the bowl) after a few minutes, then add a tablespoon more of flour at a time, util it's tacky, but not sticky. The dough should be soft and smooth.
Don't have a kneading attachment, turn dough onto floured surface and knead for same amount of time.
Put a teaspoon of oil into a medium bowl and using a paper towel spread it all over the bowl. Plop your dough into bowl and turn to "grease" top and bottom, seal with plastic wrap and set in warm place for 15 minutes to rest (about 30-45 minutes if using active dry yeast). I set my oven on the proof setting at about 75° F. If there is no proof setting, turn your oven on to 100, let it preheat, then TURN OFF, then place the dough inside for first resting.
Meanwhile, mix together packed brown sugar and cinnamon well in a small bowl, set aside. Or if desired, mix together very soft butter, sugar and cinnamon until it makes a spreadable paste. Sometimes I microwave for 20 seconds to make it easier to spread.
Once dough has rested, turn onto floured surface and roll out into 18x21 inch rectangle, roughly. Spread with ½ cup softened butter. Spread brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly, spreading to within ½ inch of the edges. Or if you combined cinnamon, sugar and butter, spread evenly over the dough.
Roll, from long side tightly and pinch edges to seal, using a little water on seams if needed. Cut into 10-16 evenly sized rolls and place in greased or parchment lined 9x13 pan. Cover with clean, damp tea towel (or plastic wrap) and allow to rise in warm place for about 45 minutes, until almost double.
Preheat oven to 400°, 375 if using a dark or glass pan. Bake rolls about 12-15 minutes until slightly golden. While baking or during rising time, make frosting.
FROSTING
Place butter, cream cheese in mixing bowl, blend until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar beating on low until incorporated, add vanilla and salt, blend until smooth. If needed add a teaspoon of milk or cream if too thick. Amount of powdered sugar depends on taste.
Smother warm rolls with frosting and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Instant yeast vs Active Dry Yeast: I used Instant dry yeast, but you can use Active dry yeast too 1:1. If using Active yeast, allow it to rise a bit longer on the first rise, around 30-40 minutes total. TIP: Forgot to take your butter out, try putting it in microwave for 8-10 seconds to soften.Need a warm place for the dough to rise? Preheat your oven on lowest temp and turn off before placing rolls in to rise, or if you have a proof setting on your oven use that. Be sure to remove your rolls before preheating your oven.
OVERNIGHT INSTRUCTIONS
Make the recipe up to the second rise after slicing the rolls. Place a piece of plastic wrap over pan tightly, place in fridge overnight until morning. When ready to bake, while the oven is preheating, remove rolls from the fridge for 30-60 minutes, allowing them to come to room temp and double in size. Bake as directed.Freezing RollsSometimes I don't make up the entire pan. Place unused cinnamon rolls (dough) onto a parchment lined sheet and flash freeze for 1-2 hours. Remove and place in tightly sealed container or baggie, squeezing out as much air as possible.When ready to bake, remove from freezer, placing in pan overnight (or at least 8 hours) in fridge, covered with sprayed plastic wrap. Remove from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature while preheating the oven. Remove plastic wrap and bake as directed. OR place in pan of frozen rolls in warm place (70-80° F) and allow to thaw and rise until doubled on counter, will take 6-8 hours. Bake as directed.