(inspired by Dad’s)
Dough
- 1 cup warm whole milk (105°-110°)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast + 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted/slightly cooled)
- 2 beaten eggs (room temp)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 4-5 tablespoons butter (softened)
Cream cheese icing
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
In bowl of stand mixer, dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon yeast in warm milk. Let it stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla to the yeast mixture. With dough hook attached, mix on low speed.
Add flour, cinnamon and salt. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until a smooth, slightly tacky dough is formed (if it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour). Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 2-3 minutes). Form into a ball.
Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12”x18” rectangle (about ¼ inch thick). Brush butter over surface of dough leaving ¼ inch at end. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar and then sprinkle evenly over the butter. Roll up dough and cut into 12 pieces (roughly 1½” thick).
In a 9x13” pan lined with parchment paper, place rolls in four rows of three (or separately on a cookie sheet just like my dad’s). Preheat oven to 350°. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until nearly doubled (about 30-45 minutes). Remove wrap and bake for about 20-28 minutes or until light golden brown (and just baked in center).
While baking, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Right after removing rolls from the oven, spread cream cheese icing over the top.