One of my favorite things to make and eat has always been cinnamon rolls! It took so many recipes to try before I finally got one that is perfect for my little family and me. They are gooey, sweet, and soft enough to fall apart in your mouth. They make for a perfect sweet treat after dinner (I’ll warm one up with my breakfast sometimes!). I love to make them every so often, and they usually last us a week. Sometimes less if we indulge a little more than we should.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk (whole milk is preferred!)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced
- 1 large egg
Filling:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark is fine!)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
Icing:
- 4oz block cream cheese
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl mix 4 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together
- In a separate, medium sized microwaveable bowl, add milk, water, and butter. Microwave in 10 second bursts until butter is melted
- Add the egg and whisk together
- Pour wet mixture over the flour mixture and combine until you have a thick and sticky dough
- Gradually add more flour until it comes together into a ball. You can do this in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface. The dough should puff up a little when poked
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes
- Turn the rested dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to fix the edges to get the dough as close to a rectangular shape as possible
- In another bowl, mix softened butter (I usually melt the butter all the way), brown sugar, and cinnamon
- Evenly spread the cinnamon mix over the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border along the edges clean
- Working from the longer edge of the dough, roll it into a tight log
- Cut about 1/2 inch off the edges to have more uniform rolls
- Using either a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log evenly. You can make them thin or thick pieces (I find 1 inch is perfect for me!)
- Arrange the rolls evenly on a sheet pan
- Cover rolls or place them in a warm place for about 45 minutes (I place mine in the oven while its off)
- Take the rolls out of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown at the top
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar
- While cinnamon rolls are still warm, spread the icing on top and serve!
Some Extra Info
- Baked cinnamon rolls can be left out at room temperature for up to 2 days and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- I always reheat them for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave
- You can leave them overnight in the fridge while they are covered with plastic wrap. To bake them, wait until they are room temperature and bake like normal
- You can also freeze them! For best results, you can leave them for up to 3 weeks