4 1/2cupsbread flour or regular flour, (bread flour makes for a lighter cinnamon roll)
1teaspoonsalt
1/2cupwhite sugar
1pkg yeast, (1/4 ounce, not instant yeast)
Filling:
1cupbrown sugar, , packed
2 1/2tablespoonsground cinnamon
1/3cupbutter, , softened
Icing:
8ozcream cheese, , softened
1/2cupbutter, , softened
3cupsconfectioners' sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1/8teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Microwave milk for 45-60 seconds in the microwave. Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour. Mix well. Knead dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. *Our house is so cold I have a hard time getting things to rise. If I turn on the oven and then put the rolls on top of the stove, the oven generates enough heat for them to rise.
In a small bowl, thoroughly combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Spray surface with cooking spray or sprinkle flour on it. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread dough with 1/3 cup softened butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough starting with the longer side and cut into 12 large rolls (or 18 smaller rolls). Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass baking dish (or you may need 2 dishes if you make smaller ones). Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30-60 minutes. If making the night before I let them rise covered with a dish towel on the counter overnight.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread half the frosting on them while they are still warm so that the frosting melts into the roll and the other half after they've sat for a couple of minutes. That's what the Cinnabon people do (I asked them). Makes 12-18 rolls.
Notes
If you want to make these the night before, shape the rolls and cut then into slices and let them rise on the counter covered overnight. Bake in the morning according to the directions. Source: Allrecipes and my friend Amanda