Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

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Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rise time: 1 hour
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Yield: 12-16 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:
Dough:

  • 1 standard packet active dry yeast, 2 1/4 tsp
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • 4 1/2 - 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very soft
  • 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 tbs cinnamon
  • 1 tbs corn starch

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch salt, optional

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, Add yeast, warm milk and 1 tbs of measured out sugar. Stir together lightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes or until foamy on top. Stir in remaining sugar, melted butter and beaten eggs until combined. Add 3 cups of flour first and then add one tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough. The dough WILL still be sticky so do not over-flour your dough! It should be sticky but not sticky enough where it sticks to your hands.Also note that your dough may not completely stop sticking from the bottom of the bowl so don't base your flour additions on that. Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and set into a warm place to rise until doubled, about one hour. I like to turn my oven onto 170°F and then turn it off, it creates the perfect warm environment.
  2. In the last minutes of the dough rising, gather your ingredients for the filling. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and corn starch until thoroughly incorporated. Take the risen dough and don't punch it down just yet. Flip the bowl over and dump it out onto a lightly floured surface.
  3. Pat it down lightly to release the air inside and roll it with a rolling pin into a very large rectangle. Smear the butter on into an even layer and sprinkle the filling on top. Pat it down lightly to pack it down.
  4. Roll the dough up very tightly into a long log. Cut the log into 12 or 16 cinnamon rolls. 12 for a large 9x13 pan or 16 for two round 8" baking pans (8 rolls in each). Grease your pan of choice extremely well and place cut cinnamon rolls into prepared pan. Allow them to rise in a warm place one more time until puffy, about thirty minutes.
  5. Once rolls have done their second rise. preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange the rack into the center of the oven. Bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
  6. While cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth with no lumps. Add in confectioner's sugar, vanilla and optional pinch of salt and mix until smooth an creamy. Spread the frosting onto the warm rolls.
  7. These Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls will stay fresh for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I always store mine at room temperature and have never had an issue. If you are concerned about the cream cheese, store in the refrigerator. They are perfect warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds! Just like a fresh cinnamon roll right out of the oven.

*Recipe from sprinkle some sugar.com

Variations:

These variations are in addition to the ingredients listed in the above recipe, not in place of.

Peaches and Cream
Filling:
1 cup peach preserves
1 tsp. cinnamon

Apple Pie
Filling:
1 cup apple pie filling
1 tsp. cinnamon

Blueberry and Lemon
Filling:
1 cup blueberry preserves
Icing:
Add lemon juice to the icing, to taste

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