BAKE | GIANT CINNAMON ROLLS

I've been wanting the make cinnamon rolls for a while now but I've been putting it off because 1. the last batch I made weren't as great as I had hope they would be and 2. they take forever to make. But early yesterday (well more like 1pm) I decided 1. it was going to be a lazy Monday and 2. I was going to make cinnamon rolls. (Also, because I had some coffee with my Cinnabon flavored creamer it only seemed right.) These were so good. Set aside time for a lazy day at home and bake these up!
xoxo, allison

Recipes adapted from my Joy the Baker Cookbook. (p.s. I absolutely love her)
*I used cream cheese frosting instead of the buttermilk glaze she used in her book

Ingredients:
DOUGH

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (+ 1/2 teaspoon for yeast)
• 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature (I used 2% because that's all we had)
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (+ 3/4 cup for kneading)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

To make the dough:

1. Combine yeast with 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Add 1/4 cup warm water (warm to touch, ~115° F) to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy and foamy. (If this does not happen, start over with new yeast.)
2. To foamy yeast, add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, egg and egg yolk. Beat with wire whisk until well combined.
3. Place the bowl onto the mixer with a dough hook. Add the 2 3/4 cups flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix on medium until just combined. Then turn the mixer up to medium-high and knead dough for 4 minutes.
4. Add the softened butter and knead for 6 more minutes. The dough will still be wet and sticky. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and hand knead 1/2 cup of flour into the dough. The dough will still be slightly sticky. Place the dough into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Leave it in a warm place to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

To make the filling:
(I omitted the raisins and ground cloves because I didn't have any and I left out the pecans because my sister is allergic. I also used regular pancake syrup, but I'm sure pure maple syrup would be that much yummier.)

1. Combine sugars, cinnamon, salt, cloves, pecans and raisins. 
2. Then stir in maple syrup and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, dump it onto a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky adding about 3 tablespoons on flour. Knead the dough for 5 more minutes then place the kitchen towel over it, and let the dough rest on the counter for 5 minutes.
Roll the dough into a 10x20 inch rectangle using a floured rolling pin. Brush the dough with half of the melted butter and save the rest for after the rolls are baked. Sprinkle all of the filling over the dough, spreading evenly but leaving a 1 inch border on one of the short sides for sealing. Roll the dough from the opposite short side into a tight cylinder and pinch along the edge to seal. Cut roll into 8 slices using a sharp knife and arrange the slices into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in a warm place for 2 hours.
Bake at 375° F until golden brown and bubbling about 30 minutes (I used a glass pan and it only took about 20 minutes until brown.) Remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer for 1 minute until smooth. Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and then add butter. Beat butter into cream cheese for 1 minute, until combined. On low speed, add powdered sugar and vanilla (I folded the powdered sugar in by hand to avoid the mess and then used my hand mixer to completely combine ingredients.)
2. Smooth cream cheese frosting over each roll just before it is going to be eaten. Store frosting in refrigerator in air tight container if you aren't consuming these all in one night!