Dough:
- 1 package active dry yeast or 1/4 ounce
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup softened butter or margarine
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/3 cup softened butter
Cream cheese frosting:
- 1 package of cream cheese
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter or margarine
- 1-2 tsps vanilla extract
- About 1 bag of powdered sugar
Instructions:
For the dough, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl. Make sure that the milk is lukewarm. If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast, and if it is too cold then it won't dissolve properly. Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs and flour to the bowl of a mixer and mix well. The mixture will be pretty dry at this point. Pour the milk/yeast mixture in the bowl and use a dough hook to mix until well incorporated. (The dough hook doesn't always work for me, so sometimes I mix with a wooden spoon or by hand. The tricky part is getting all of the flour mixed in well).
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours. The dough will be ready to roll out when it has doubled in size. If the dough has not doubled in size by at least 4 hours, then something has gone wrong. (Try placing bowl on top of preheated oven so it can get more warmth).
Roll the dough out on a very lightly floured surface until it is in the shape of a rectangle and the dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. To make the filling, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough The filling will be very think and hard to spread. I have to use my hands to spread the filling evenly.
Begin rolling the dough, starting from the long edge, until you've made one large, 18-inch long roll. Cut the rolls into 1.5 inch slices. This is done best by using dental floss. Place the cut rolls in the prepared pan and cover them with a damp towel. Let them rise again for another 30 minutes to an hour, until they have doubled in size.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. I would prefer that the rolls are slightly under done, than over done. If cooked too long, they will dry out. So be sure to keep an eye on them. Cooking time can vary.
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter/margerine until very smooth. Add 1-2 teaspoons vanilla. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until it's reached the level of sweetness that you like. I think I use almost one full bag of powdered sugar. Wait until the rolls have cooled before frosting, unless you are eating them right away.