Cinnamon Rolls

Brunch time, the second best meal of the day.  Second only to brinner of course.  I mentioned this to a friend the other day and he brought up 4th meal.  Valid point but I personally have that at the bottom of my totem pole. While I do enjoy it occasionally, most of the time it just brings regret.  Eating super late is never actually a good idea...

So yea, brunch time.  Obviously you are craving cinnamon rolls and lucky for you, I have a recipe for them!  Takes a bit of time to make (mostly because you have to wait for long periods of time) but it's totally worth it and its actually really easy! Trust me!! 

CINNAMON BUNS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

(original recipe here)

For the dough:

• 1 cup warm milk 
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Making dough is super easy with a kitchen aid stand mixer but being that I am a poor medical student, I dont have one.....yet.  That being said, making the dough is still very doable with just your hands.  Dont be scared to get your hands a little dirty!

1. In a large bowl, pour in the warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and proof 5 minutes, till it becomes bubbly and frothy.
2. Add the rest of the sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and 3 cups of the flour, mix well with your hands! 
3. Sprinkle flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. Dough should be sticky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched. DON'T ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR OR YOUR BUNS WILL BE TOO DOUGHY.
4. Continue kneading for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the dough into another large greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.  To do this, I like turning my oven on to a high temperature like 400 degrees for just a minute.  This way, the dough has a nice toasty place to rise properly hehe.

Here is how my dough looked like right before a put it into the warm oven.

While the dough is rising, you can make the filling and frosting!

For the filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup softened butter

1. Combine thoroughly the sugar and cinnamon.
2. Make sure the butter is super spreadable!

For the frosting:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice

1. Mix together the cream cheese and butter.
2. Mix in the vanilla and lemon juice.
3. Mix in the powdered sugar in small portions until you have the sweetness to your liking! 

Cream cheese frosting is the best type of frosting...just going to throw that fact out there..

Now the fun part begins!

1. After the dough has doubled in size, punch the air out (such a satisfying experience)!
2. Flour your working surface slightly and start rolling out the dough into a large rectangle.  Try to get it as flat as your can.  Also, if you dont have a rolling pin, use a glass cup!  Remember to flour whatever rolling device that you use.
3. After you finish rolling the dough out, spread the butter over the surface of the dough.
4. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter.
5. Roll the dough up!
6. Cut the dough into about 1 inch pieces.
7. Space out the rolls into a greased pan.  They need to be spaced out because they are going to have to sit out and double in size again.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THESE A DAY IN ADVANCE!  If you want to have these the next morning, just refrigerate the rolls once you finish step 7.  Make sure the rolls have not doubled in size yet...they do that when you are ready to bake them.

When you are finally ready to eat them...

1. Take the rolls out of the fridge, let them sit out to reach room temp and then let them sit out for another hour so they can double in size.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Pop the buns into the oven for 15-20min.  Watch them carefully because they can burn easily if they bake for too long.
4. After you take them out of the oven, frost dem buns ;)

Best served when the buns are hot and after a sleepover with awesome friends after a super fun night out :)

Look how pretty my dough is after it sat in the warm oven to double in size!

Punching it haha.

Roll..

Sprinkle...

Roll..

Cut!

LOOK AT THOSE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES!

Also, we just started our neuroscience block.  While I was cutting these, the rolls reminded me of myelinated axons.  Medical school has taken over all aspects of my life...true story..

Anyways..back to the buns..here is the finished product!!! Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?