The Best Cinnamon Rolls- period

• Vegetarian

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Eggs

• Condiments

  • 1 tsp Honey

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 cup Brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 3 1/2 cup Flour, unbleached
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 3 cup Powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 tsp Vanilla
  • 3 cup Whole wheat flour, whole wheat white
  • 2 tbsp Yeast

• Dairy

  • 2 sticks 1 c butter
  • 1/3 cup Butter
  • 3 oz Cream cheese
  • 1 cup Milk

• Liquids

  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 tbsp Water, HOT

Found on anoregoncottage.com

Description

Ingredients

• Rolls:
• 2 Tb. yeast (active dry or instant- both work)
• 1 c. warm water (hot tap is fine, 105-115 degrees)
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 c. granulated sugar, divided
• 1 c. warmed milk
• 1 c. butter (2 sticks), divided
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 3½ c. unbleached flour, plus a bit extra for kneading and rolling
• 3 c. whole wheat flour (white whole wheat, or spelt work as well)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 3 Tb. cinnamon
• ¼ c. sugar + 1 tsp. cinnamon,
• optional to coat the pans, but highly recommended...
• Frosting:
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ c. melted butter
• 3 c. powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tb. hot water

Directions

• Make Dough:
• Mix yeast, warm tap water, and honey in a measuring cup and set aside.
• Using a large mixing bowl, combine warmed milk, ½ c. sugar, ½ c. softened butter, salt and eggs. Mix them as best you can, then add the bubbling yeast mixture and stir it all together.
• Add the whole wheat flour (3 c.) and beat on medium speed until smooth - about a minute. Stir in the remaining 3½ cups unbleached flour, making a stiff, yet sticky dough.
• Change to a dough hook (or turn out if kneading by hand). Knead with the mixer for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is clearing the sides, but still sticking to the bottom. If the dough is still sticking to the sides, add only enough extra flour - a tablespoon at a time - to have it just clear the sides (by hand knead for 8-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface).
• Turn the dough out into a large, lightly greased bowl for rising. The dough should still be soft, sticking to the bottom of the bowl as you transfer it to the greased bowl, but not sticking to your finger when you lightly touch it. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1½ hours.
• Shape and Fill:
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (I always use a tea towel) and let rest for 5 minutes. While dough is resting, prepare pans and filling.
• Take the remaining ½ cup of butter and divide it: ⅓ c. for the filling and what remains from the stick of butter between 2 baking pans, a 13x9 and a 11x7 inch (roughly 2 Tb. for the larger pan and 1 Tb. for the smaller). Melt the divided butter in the pans and glass measuring cup using a microwave, using a pastry brush to coat the pans with the melted butter (to melt on the stove, melt the ½ cup in a pot and then pour the entire amount of melted butter into a measuring cup, pouring a little into each pan until youre left with the ⅓ cup youll need for the filling). Sprinkle the optional (though not really...) ¼ cup sugar-cinnamon mixture on the butter-coated pans.
• Mix the brown sugar, remaining white sugar and 3 Tb. cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
• Roll out the rested dough into a 15 x 20 inch rectangle, pour the ⅓ cup melted butter on top and spread evenly using a pastry brush. Brush close to the edges, but dont allow the butter to go over them. Evenly distribute the filling mixture over the buttered dough. Start around the edges first before filling in the center to make sure the sugar doesnt push the butter off the dough.
• Roll up the dough as evenly as possible - too loose and youll get spaces in the rolls, too tight and the centers will pop out - and pinch the edges to seal. Cut into 14 rolls (cut the roll in half first and then cut each half into a larger and smaller piece; cut the larger piece of each half into fourths and the smaller into thirds). Place the cut slices close together in the prepared pans. You may need to re-pinch the ends as you place them.
• Rise and Bake:
• Cover pans with a towel or plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 minutes - 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees about 15 minutes before the rolls are ready to bake.
• Bake the rolls 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned, rotating halfway through if needed. The smaller pan is usually done first in the lesser time and will need to be removed, letting the larger pan continue to bake. Cool the rolls on a wire rack for a few minutes while you mix up the cream cheese frosting.
• Frost:
• Combine all the frosting ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat until smooth. Divide the frosting evenly among the warm rolls using a large spoon and then spread to fully cover all the rolls. Let cool a bit more before serving.*