CINNAMON ROLLS..... OH MY!

This recipe will make light, fluffy and tender Cinnamon Rolls that everyone will love! While it looks complicated, just follow the steps, they're easy to do and the results will show you just how great these rolls are.....

CINNAMON ROLLS.-  You'll love these!


Dough
3/4 cup whole milk , heated to 110 degrees (microwave about 30-40 sec)
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) instant or rapid-rise yeast
3 large eggs , room temperature
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch (this makes them softer)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
12 tbl (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut into 12 pieces and softened

Filling
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tbl ground cinnamon (or grind from whole)
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbl butter , softened

Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese , softened
1 tbl milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

For the dough: Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with foil, with some excess foil to hang over pan edges so you can use it as "handles". Grease foil and medium bowl. (I use non-stick spray).

Whisk milk and yeast until the yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 min. Increase speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 min. (if after mixing for 10 min the dough is still wet and sticky, add up to 1/4 cup flour (a tbl at a time) until the dough releases from the bowl.) Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the warmed oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 18 inch square, spread with butter, and sprinkle evenly with filling. You now have a rectangle with the long side nearest you. Starting with this edge, roll dough tightly, and then pinch lightly to seal seam and turn over so the seam is on the bottom, cut into 8 pieces (cut in half then half each piece and then half of these with a sharp knife with no teeth). Transfer pieces, cut-side up, to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. When time is almost up, heat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. You will let this rest on the table (don't refrigerate) and it will "loosen" while you wait. Take off the plastic wrap and bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is melted, 35 to 40 min.(start watching at 30 min depending on your oven). Transfer to wire rack and top buns with half of the glaze (it will soak some of it up); cool 30 min. Using foil "handles", lift buns from the pan and top with the last of the glaze.
NOTE: I don't have my Kitchenaid machine anymore so I kneaded these by hand, works great so don't worry, just work the dough until it's smooth and add flour as needed. Feel free to add, change or substitute as you like, I added raisins to the filling and some walnuts, but I change depending on what I've got and stray from the directions ALL the time. If you want smaller buns (really? smaller?) just cut the rolled dough into thinner slices but try this first then decide. I have also changed the glaze a lot by just using powder sugar, vanilla and some milk only; on other occasions I've also added some cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, I've also changed the milk for maple or agave sugar.... whatever you like, go ahead and try it.