Homemade Cinnamon Rolls!

The sweet potato ravioli is put on hold until Friday, because Kelly and Colton are at a Bob Dylan concert tonight, and couldn't come for dinner.

But, I did make cinnamon rolls today for the first time. They were a success! My poor, poor hubby is having a TON of major dental work done bright and early tomorrow at 7am, and they said he needed to eat beforehand. I'm well aware that a big sugary breakfast isn't quite what they meant, but I feel sorry for him (he probably won't be able to eat "real" food for a while), and he'll be more likely to eat something yummy like this early in the morning than something healthy. (And maybe I can get him to eat an egg as well...)

Anyway, I was going to use the recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website, until I looked it up and realized that it makes SEVEN pans of rolls. Seven! We don't need that many, and I don't have enough freezer space either ... oh well, maybe at the holidays I can make them as gifts.

So, it was off to Epicurious for some recipe-searching (oh, how I love that website! Thanks, Lissa and Mel!), and here's what I found:

(Apologies for not many pictures, but it's hard to cook with a puppy and make pictures at the same time!)

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

For the dough:

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar 

1 large egg

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast) - NOTE: Fleishman yeast packets are 2 1/4 tsp. per packet, so you only need one if you're using that brand

1 teaspoon salt

Nonstick vegetable oil spray 

For the filling:

3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

For the glaze:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dough:
Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. (You'll want that butter to be at room temp - learn from my mistake, and don't use cold butter for that step.) Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. (I probably added 3 more Tbsp?)

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball. 

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. 

Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.  (And here's where my problem started: the dough wasn't rising! I don't know if it was my yeast, or what, but it didn't rise hardly AT ALL.)

For filling:
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. (Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the cinnamon, so I used less than this recipe calls for.) Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). (Haha. Once again - my dough didn't rise.)

Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes. (Okay, here was the next problem. See the above picture? That was before rising. These are after rising 45 minutes. I don't think they rose a milimeter.)

 

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up. (I forged on and baked them anyway, and you know what? They rose a bit during baking, and even though they're small, they still taste great!!)

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

These are delicious, despite the lack of rising. I'm going to make them again sometime (they're pretty easy, actually), with maybe some fresher yeast? They're good regardless though :)

Hope you all enjoy! And thanks to Epicurious for such amazingly yummy recipes :)