Cinnamony Cinnamon Rolls

The weekend is almost here - yes! Any fun plans for you in your corner of the world? For me, it's a fully-packed weekend to make new friends and catch up with long time friends. We've got a day trip in Milwaukee to check out a science fair and hang out at the children's museum up there. Then on Sunday, we're having a long-awaited dinner with some friends from Chicago. Now with so much going on, the best way to start a weekend is with a delicious breakfast. If you're looking for something to make, how about these Cinnamony Cinnamon Rolls? I made them last weekend and wow. They were AH-mazing. A soft and buttery dough is rolled and filled with a mixture of brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon chips before baking up and slathering with rich cream cheese frosting. How can anyone resist these glorious rolls of cinnamony deliciousness?

I could have just went without the addition of cinnamon chips, but why not go all the way? If you are unable to find Hershey's cinnamon chips in your area, no worries - just omit them. But if you can find them, be prepared for little bursts of cinnamon sweetness with each bit of these rolls!

I adapted the original recipe as gluten free using a gluten free flour blend and the nice thing about GF baking is that when it requires proofing, gf baked goods only need one proof. So after making the GF dough, I was able to roll it out, fill and allow them to proof. If you are making the standard recipe with all purpose flour, you will need the proofing time after you make the dough and before you rolling it out to fill... and another proof after you've filled and cut the rolls. Not giving the dough enough time to proof will result in a tough roll that probably won't taste very well.... so note that you need patience with this! But is it worth it? Oh yes... yes it is indeed!

Cinnamony Cinnamon Rolls 

recipe adapted from Lauren's Latest

Dough Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 4 1/2-5 cups all purpose unbleached flour or 700gm GF flour blend

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, pour in water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and proof 5 minutes.
2. Once mixture looks bubbly and frothy, pour in remaining sugar and salt. Stir on low for 15-20 seconds.
3. In a small bowl, measure buttermilk, oil and egg. Whisk ingredients together until egg is fully incorporated. Pour buttermilk and egg mixture into the water and yeast mixture. Stir another 20 seconds in the mixer.
4. Pour 2 cups of flour into mixer and stir on low until incorporated. Sprinkle remaining flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl.
5. Dough should be sticky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched. Once it has reached this stage, turn mixer on and knead for 5 minutes.

Filling Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened butter, unsalted
• 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cinnamon chips (Hershey's brand)

Directions

1. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set dough in a warm spot to proof for 2 hours or until it doubles in size. If making GF cinnamon rolls, no proofing is necessary. Move forward to the next part of rolling out the dough and filling.
2. In a medium size bowl, stir brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch together until combined. Set aside.
3. Roll out dough. Flour a large clean table liberally with flour. Lightly flour dough as well. Roll dough out to a large rectangle while moving dough around to ensure its not sticking to your work surface. If its a little short or uneven, feel free to cut off the edges to even it all out.
4. Spread softened butter over dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough.
5. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture onto the buttered dough in an even layer, still leaving that 1-inch strip of dough untouched. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the butter using a rolling pin.
6. Sprinkle the cinnamon chips over the brown sugar and cinnamon layer.
7. Carefully roll the dough up into a tight log, finishing with the plain dough on the bottom to seal the entire thing together.
8. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log. Score log every 2 inches and then slice your rolls using those marks. Place into parchment paper lined, greased 9 x 13 pan.
9. Cover pan with plastic wrap and dish towels. Let rolls rise another 1-2 hours or until they are touching and have risen almost double. 
10. Bake in a preheated 350 degree for 17 minutes, or until tops start to brown.

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup softened margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. While the rolls are baking, whip cream cheese and margarine together.
2. Stir in vanilla, corn syrup and lemon juice. Scrape sides and mix again.
3. Pour in powdered sugar and stir slowly until it starts to incorporate. Then mix on high for 5 minutes or until frosting starts to lighten in color.
4. Once rolls have been removed from the oven, frost using half the amount made.
5. Then after they have cooled a few more minutes, frost again with remaining frosting. The first frosting will melt down into the rolls and the second layer should stay put. Serve warm.