Heaven in a Cinnamon Roll

Okay, I know it's been a while, but I think you will forgive me for being away so long (and for all the things you've missed, like two big birthdays, but which I promise to catch you up on eventually) when you try this recipe.  Adam said it was the best cinnamon roll he's ever had, and that is super high praise coming from the cinnamon roll prince, son of the cinnamon roll king.

The majority of the credit for this recipe goes to Crystal Denton who gave a cinnamon roll demonstration at my ward's Super Saturday in September.  I used her recipe (and some of her tips) for the basis, although I changed a couple of things and halved the recipe and made my own filling and adapted a cream cheese frosting from an orange roll recipe I love...so, yeah.  I think I can call this one mine now.  I warn you, this is not healthy and should be avoided if you're trying to lose weight!  And it takes a while, this is no quick dessert.  But it is worth the time and the calories, if you have them to spare. 

Rachel's Cinnamon Rolls

Dough: 

1 1/2 tbsp dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 tbsp sugar (optional)

1 3/4 cups hot water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup margarine or butter (I used butter)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg (The original recipe calls for one egg and I was halving the recipe, I would recommend separating the egg, but I had a helper, and we ended up with about half the egg in the bowl anyway!)

1/4 cup scalded milk

1/3 cup potato flakes

4-7 cups flour (Don't go by the measurement with this, go by the consistency of the dough, more or less as needed!)

Sprinkle the yeast into 1/4 cup warm water. Let stand 15-20 minutes.  (A tablespoon of sugar in the yeast will help it proof quicker.)  Scald milk in a glass measuring cup in the microwave (30 seconds should do it), and add hot tap water to make 2 cups.  In mixing bowl combine milk mixture with salt, butter, sugar, egg, and potato flakes.  Add 2 cups of flour and blend thoroughly.  Add proofed yeast and blend.  Add remaining flour gradually until it cleans the edge of the bowl.  Dough should be very soft, much softer than you might usually let it be with bread, so if it isn't coming away from the bowl and it begins to get tough, stop adding flour!  Knead an additional 3 minutes.  Place dough in greased bowl and cover.  Let rise until doubled in size (an hour or so, depending on how warm your kitchen is).  

Filling:

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 cup butter or margarine, softened (I used butter)

While dough is rising, cream filling ingredients together in a large bowl.  Grease two large jelly roll pans.  Punch dough down and roll out into a large rectangle.  Here's where I'm going to guess; I rolled mine out to about 12 inches by 24 inches, but I would recommend rolling it thinner, maybe 18 by 24?  Although our rolls were very huge, and very delicious. Spread filling over entire rectangle, leaving about one inch along a long side of the rectangle uncovered.  This is a lot of filling, expect it to make a giant mess of your pans, but we really like a gooey cinnamon roll at our house, so this is double what most recipes use.  Roll tightly into a log, leaving the bare end for last, and wetting it with your finger before pinching closed.  Use dental floss to cut 1 inch sections, placing rolls into prepared pans (you should get about 2 dozen rolls, unless yours are as large as ours, in which case you'll get 18).  Cover pans with a damp dish towel and allow to rise 25-35 minutes more.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake rolls 18-22 minutes (but check them at 15, they shouldn't be any more than a little golden around the edges!).  Bake one pan at a time, or if you must bake both at once, switch the top and bottom pans halfway through to make sure they are evenly cooked. 

Frosting: 

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened (I ran out of butter and used margarine)

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 cups powdered sugar (I always eyeball the sugar, adding more until I like the consistency)

While the rolls are baking, mix the frosting ingredients together with a hand mixer.  Spread on rolls while still warm, there should be enough to really pile it on. 

You're welcome.