Cinnabon-style Cinnamon Rolls

 A wonderful treat for a Saturday morning. 

(Yield: 12-16 cinnamon rolls) 

Ingredients:

Rolls:
1-(¼ oz.) pkg. Active Dry Yeast
1 c. warm milk (100*F-110*F)
½ c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. melted butter (do not substitute margarine)
1 t. salt
2 eggs
4 c. all-purpose flour

1 TBSP. cinnamon

Filling:
1 c. packed brown sugar

2½ TBS. cinnamon
¼  c. butter, softened and spreadable (this should be enough for buttering pan and dough)

Icing: (Can also use Duncan Hines Cream Cheese frosting)
7 TBS. butter, softened
1½ c. confectioners sugar
¼ c. (2 oz.) cream cheese
½ t. real vanilla extract 

Directions:

Rolls:

Heat oven to 180*F.
Dissolve yeast in milk.  In separate bowl, mix together sugar, butter, salt, eggs, flour. Add dissolved yeast & milk.  Mix well.  Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead into a large ball for a few minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover; let rise 1 hour. Prepare filling and icing (see below).

Roll dough into a 21" x 16" wide rectangle. Spread butter over dough, either with fingers or a spatula, then sprinkle filling over top of butter, smoothing by hand or spatula.  Roll lengthwise to form tube. Pinch the edge to the roll.  Using very sharp knife, cut into equal rolls, making twelve. If want fewer, bigger rolls, cut them wider; for more, smaller rolls, cut smaller.

Grease (butter) your preferred baking pan, either 9 x 13 or 11 x 15. Place rolls in pan and into oven. Let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes, or until doubled.  Once doubled, turn oven up to 400*F.  Bake at 400*F until the rolls are slightly browned and not doughy,

approximately 15-20 minutes. This will vary according to your oven, so be careful not to over bake.  When done, remove and cover them in the icing.

Filling:
While dough is rising, prepare the filling and the icing:

Soften butter, so that it is spreadable.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, mix well for filling.

Icing:

Cream it all together with an electric mixer (or by hand if you just want to exhaust yourself for some reason). Spread on hot rolls.