The BEST Homemeade Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com a few years ago and I love it!  These are the most delicious cinnamon rolls and they are really easy to make, especially if you use a bread machine to make the dough.  They are time consuming but not hard and definitely well worth the effort!

The first thing you do is make the dough.  I use my bread machine on the dough cycle for this. 

Next, roll out the dough on a floured surface to a 16" x 21" rectangle.  I have to admit that I never pull out my ruler and measure this.  I just roll until it looks like the right size.  If your dough shrinks back every time you roll it just let it rest for a few minutes and then roll again.

In a bowl, mix 1 cup packed brown sugar and 2 1/2 tbs cinnamon. 

Spread 1/3 cup softened butter over the dough and top with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Here is another admission.  I usually just spread an entire stick of butter over the dough.  Once you take 1/3 cup there's really not that much left so why not?  These are cinnamon rolls after all so you're already indulging, might as well go big, right?

Next you're going to roll up your dough.  You want to roll it pretty tightly.  At this point I score the roll with my knife so I get even sized rolls and cut it into rolls.  You will want to use a serrated knife for this.  You will get anywhere from 12 to 16 rolls depending on how big you cut them.

Place the rolls into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  I usually make these the night before I plan to serve them so at this point I cover them and put them in the fridge.  If you plan to bake them right away, you need to let them rise for about 30 minutes before baking.  When I make them the night before I pull them out of the oven and let them sit on the counter for about 30 minutes but you can just go straight from fridge to oven (allow for some extra cooking time though).

Here they are after being baked for about 25 minutes. 

And here they are after being topped with the delicious cream cheese frosting.  My crazy little Peanut doesn't like hers with frosting so that is why the one in the corner is plain.  These rolls are crazy good warm from the oven.  They are sweet and buttery and tender and....well everything a good cinnamon roll should be!

Clone of a Cinnabon
via allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
•  
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
•  
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.