Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 3/4 cup whole milk 

• 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant or rapid-rise yeast

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), cut into 12 pieces and softened to room temperature, plus more for the pan and the bowl.

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Frosting:

• 1/2 a block of cream cheese (4 ounces), softened to room temperature

• 1/2 a stick of unsalted butter (4 tablespoons), softened to room temperature 

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1-2 tablespoons milk (depending on desired consistency)

Instructions: 

Dough:

1. Grease a 9-inch square pan or a 9-by-13 inch pan with butter (if you use the square pan, you will have 9 smaller cinnamon rolls, and if you use the rectangle pan, you will have 8 larger cinnamon rolls). Grease a large bowl with butter for the dough to rise in. If you don’t have a warm place for the dough to rise, you can heat your oven to 200°F, then turn it off. You can let the dough rise in here, but make sure the oven is not hot as it will kill the yeast (you can leave the oven door open to let some hot air out before putting the dough inside).

2. In a saucepan or microwave, heat the milk to exactly 110°F. Add the yeast and whisk until it dissolves. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. 

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until combined. 

4. With mixer on low speed, add the milk mixture in a slow steady stream and mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. 

5. Increase speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 5-7 minutes. The dough should feel soft and should bounce back when you poke it with your finger. 

6. Turn dough out onto a clean surface (you shouldn’t need any flour), and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Filling:

1. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl. 

2. When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. 

3. Roll the dough into a large square, roughly 18x18 inches. 

4. Spread the softened butter onto the dough and sprinkle it with the sugar mixture. 

5. Roll the dough up into a tight cylinder and pinch the end slightly against the cylinder to seal the seam. 

6. Cut off the edges and cut into 9 even pieces. 

7. Transfer the pieces to the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Optionally, after the buns have risen, you can put them in the fridge overnight. 

Frosting:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese. 

3. Add the powdered sugar and mix at high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

4. Add the vanilla extract and milk and whisk again at high speed. The frosting should be thick and fluffy–keep in mind that it is going to melt into the rolls, so you don't want it to be liquidy.

5. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until they are golden brown and the filling is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes. 

6. Spread the frosting on top of the cinnamon rolls. Use an offset spatula to remove each roll from the pan. Enjoy!