cinnamon rolls

dough:

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast

cinnamon sugar filling:

2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tbsp butter melted

cream cheese frosting:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the ingredients for the dough.

Using the dough hook, knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. If you do not have a KitchenAid or other such mixer, you can still make these! Just combine the dough ingredients by hand and when the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Don’t know how to knead? Check out this video to see just how easy it is! If the dough is sticking to your bowl, add a tablespoon more flour and mix more. In this picture, the dough is sticking to my bowl, so I added a bit more flour.

Now look! Elasticy and not too sticky!

Notice that my fingers are pretty clean after touching the kneaded dough!

Spray a bowl with cooking spray. Place dough inside, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled (approximately one hour). I was impatient to get mine doubled because my dinner guests were coming, so I placed a very hot cup of water underneath so that the steam could coax the dough along!

After the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cinnamon, brown sugar, softened butter, and pecans.

Roll dough into a 16×21 rectangle here Iam using my hand as a ruler – my finger span is 8″ exactly!.

Spread dough with melted butter and top with cinnamon mixture. No need to use it all. I used about 2 tbsp or so less than the full mixture, and next time I’ll use even less as that mixture is pretty sweet!

Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls.

Place rolls onto a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan. I found it easiest to do this with my knife and a bench scraper. Using my hands, all the topping would spill out.

Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

While rolls are baking, beat together the ingredients for the cream cheese frosting until smooth. Spread on rolls after they have cooled a bit.