Jaw-Dropping Cinnamon Rolls

Making these utterly scrumptious cinnamon rolls was one of my proudest moments thus far in my kitchen adventures.  I had never used yeast before, but this recipe made it seem easy enough.  I was like a giddy little child on Christmas morning as I kept peeking under the kitchen towel to see if the cinnamon rolls were rising properly.  They were!  After spreading the icing (plus extra because I decided they needed more) on the still-warm rolls, my mom and I quickly dug in.  There are no words to convey how amazing these cinnamon rolls were.  Seriously.  They were that delicious.  

Ooooh!

Aaaah!

Everyday Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

For the dough-

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package instant or 'rapid-rise' yeast

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

For the filling-

1 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

For the Icing-

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1.  Heat milk and 4 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds.  Stir and set aside.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt.  Once milk mixture is warm (not hot!), add it to the flour mixture along with the egg while the beater/paddle attachment is running.  Beat for about 1 minute or until well combined.  

3.  Switch to the dough hook.  Add remaining flour until dough is soft and sticky and barely leaves the sides of the bowl.  Continue to let the dough knead for 5 minutes or knead by hand on a floured surface for 5 minutes.  Allow dough to rest on a floured surface for 10 minutes.  

4.  Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl.

5.  Roll dough into a 12" by 14" rectangle.  Spread filling mixture over the dough using the back of a spoon or your fingers.  Roll the dough from the longer side and pinch edges closed.

6.  Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces and place them in a greased 9" by 13" pan.  Cover pan with a clean kitchen towel and let rolls rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

7.  Bake rolls at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown.  

8.  Combine icing ingredients and spread over warm rolls.

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