Those Rolls

I have on a mission to make the best cinnamon rolls possible....and up until this weekend, I have failed miserably at my quest. I have tried recipes that used pudding mix, cinnabon knockoffs and various "Worlds Best" only to be disappointed time and time again. I fault myself partially because I am not the greatest baker. Yeast and I have a love hate relationship. I want to be a good baker but am so often defeated that I become reluctant to even keep trying. Enter this recipe. The best part of it is the very detailed and explicit instructions. THIS I believe is what the other recipes I have used lacked. They recipe describes how the dough should look and feel at every step making it harder to mess up. I turned out the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made with this recipe and actually am looking forward to making them again - not too soon though because I will eat them all. The only adjustment I made to the recipe is to half the frosting recipe (recipe is presented with full frosting recipe below). We don't like tons of frosting and I didn't want any leftover. The halved amount was perfect for for the 11 rolls I turned out. The only recommendation I would make is to NOT mix the butter with the sugar and cinnamon for the filling. I found it to be really difficult to spread evenly. I would recommend spreading the softened butter on the dough first and then following with the dry brown sugar and cinnamon mixture to get more even coverage.

Hard to mess up Cinnamon Rolls (recipe from Tastes of Lizzy T)

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 1 cup warm milk (about 115 degrees F)**
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (I like Red Star Platinum Baking Yeast)
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup butter almost melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (for pouring over the risen rolls)

For the Frosting:

• 6 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 1/3 cup butter (softened)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon maple extract (or vanilla)

Instructions

• Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast overtop.
• Add the eggs, butter, salt and sugar.
• Add the flour and mix using the beater blade just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids.
• Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook.
• Beat the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. **The dough will be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That's ok! Don't be tempted to add more flour at this point.
• Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
• Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl. 
• Cover the bowl with a towel or wax paper.
• Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until double. I like to turn on the oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the oven and place the dough to rise in there. It normally takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy.
• While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until well combined. Set aside.
• Sprinkle a pastry mat generously with flour. Turn out the dough onto the pastry mat and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour. 
• Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a 24x15" rectangle. (the size of the rectangle can vary...it does not have to be exact!)
• Use a rubber spatula to smooth the cinnamon filling over the whole dough rectangle.
• Starting on the long end, roll the dough up tightly jelly roll style. 
• Cut into 12 slices and place in a greased 9x13 baking pan.*
• Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes or until nearly double.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don't make it hot...you just don't want it cold. It should be warm to the touch.
• Once the rolls have risen, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 17-19 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. Note...the time will vary based on how big the rolls are, what type of pan, how close the rolls are packed, etc. They could take up to 25 minutes.
• While the rolls are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
• In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Blend well.
• Add in your favorite extract and the powdered sugar. Beat until combined.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled rolls.
• Store in an airtight container.

Notes

**Different yeast calls for slightly different proofing methods. We follow Red Star Platinum's temperature guidelines. Please check your yeast packet to see what temperature the milk should be at.

*For smaller rolls, cut the dough into 15 slices and use a 10x15" baking pan.

*Time shown does not include time for rising, so this recipe will take longer than 49 minutes. Plan about 2-2 1/2 hours with rising time and everything.