CINNAMON ROLLS

This is the recipe that people have drooled over and begged me for for years.  Have fun making people incredibly jealous that you can create the best cinnamon roll in the world!  Enjoy :)

CINNAMON ROLLS (USES HOT ROLL MIX)

1 TBSP active dry yeast (1 1/4 oz pkg)
1 1/2 C lukewarm water
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C melted butter or oil
5 to 6 C HOT ROLL MIX
2 TBSP melted butter
1/2 C brown sugar (packed)
3 tsp cinnamon (use really good quality cinnamon)
1/2 C raisins (optional)
1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Icing  (This is really what makes them FABULOUS)
2 pkgs cream cheese
1/2 C butter
2 TBSP vanilla
5 C Powdered Sugar
2 TBSP milk or cream

If you have a breadmaker with a dough option, you can just put this all in there and let your breadmaker do the work in making the dough.  Use the long option, not the short option.

If doing by hand, dissolve yeat in water.  Blend eggs and oil into the water with the yeast.  In mixer or large bowl, combine the egg, oil, and water mixture with 5 cups HOT ROLL MIX.  Knead it until smooth, adding up to 1/2 or 1 C more of HOT ROLL MIX if your dough is really sticky.  You want the dough to be slightly sticky to the touch.  If it isn't,  you have too much flour.  If you are using a mixer with a dough hook, mix it on medium/high speed for about 5 or 6 minutes.

When the dough is nice and smooth, put it in a bowl that it can double in size.  Spray the bowl with non stick spray first.  Cover it with a damp towel or some plastic wrap and let it double in size (about an hour).  Grease two baking sheets.  Punch down dough.  Let it stand about 10 minutes.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12" by 24" rectangel.  You can even just press it with your fingers if you don't have a roller.  You just want a nice, even, rectangle.  Sprinkle on brown sugar, cinnamon, (and raisins and nuts if using....I don't).  Roll the dough, like a jelly roll.  Cut it into 24 1 inch slices.  Place the slices on the baking sheets.  They will expan about 1 inch around and raise about that high.  Let them raise until they are doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.  Bake at 375 F for about 25 minutes.  They will be slightly golden on the bottom, but not brown.  Let them cool.

In the meantime, combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl and mix on high, until smooth and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth.  If it is very thick, add the milk or cream, 1 TBSP at a time, until it is spreadable, but definitley NOT runny.

When those babies are cool, smother them with the cream cheese frosting.  People LOVE the icing!  You will be famous for these, trust me :)

*Dough from Make A Mix Cookbook, with a few of my own little tweaks.

The icing is the cream cheese frosting recipe that I love.  You can use any cream cheese icing you like.  If you do do not like cream cheese icing, you can use a regular buttercream.  You can also use a glaze made from 2 C powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 4 TBSP milk.