Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls

Directions

• Dough
• Pour warm milk (about 110 degrees) into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and tablespoon of sugar over the milk and give the bowl a few gentle swirls to get the yeast into the milk. After 5-10 minutes, the yeast should have dissolved and be foamy on the milk surface. Add into the milk the butter, eggs, flour, and salt. Knead with a dough hook on setting one or two for 5-7 minutes until the dough is silky. This dough will be quite soft.
• Oil a large clean bowl and flip the dough into it, turning with a rubber spatula to coat all the side. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. It should double in size. See Note.
• Prep the Pans
• Generously butter a couple baking pans. (I use a 9 x 13 and an 8 x 8 pan.) Once buttered, sprinkle some brown sugar on the bottom of each. Set aside.
• Let’s Roll and Cut!
• Remove dough from the fridge and flip onto a generously floured surface. Roll the dough, trying to maintain a, even thickness, into a 15″ by 20″ rectangle, the longer side parallel to the counter’s edge.
• Once rolled out, carefully pour the slightly cooled butter over the dough. Spread the butter gently out, beginning in the middle and moving it back and forth. It should start to solidify as you spread it out, making it easier to reach the edges without dripping butter and giving you an even coat. Spread the butter to three edges, leaving 1/2″ to 1″ strip along the top 20″ side for easier sealing.
• Spread the brown sugar and cinnamon all over the buttered dough. Last, sprinkle a bit of salt.
• Beginning at the long edge (closest to you), tightly roll the dough, starting on one side and moving back and forth as you roll, tucking the dough in with your fingertips more than, say, rolling up a flat piece of play doh.
• Once you reach the 20″ edge of un-sugared dough, finish rolling and gently pinch the plain dough along it’s edge to the roll.
• Grab an 18″ string of floss and slide it under the roll to the middle, crossing the floss over the top of the roll and, crossing the floss, cut the roll in half. Now cut each half evenly with the floss until you have 16-18 cinnamon rolls cut out. See Note.
• Place each cut bun into a pan, providing some space for rising. I typically have 12 in a 9 x 13 pan and 4 in an 8 x 8 pan. Cover and let rise to double, 1-2 hours.
• About 15 minutes before they’re ready to go in, heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes. The smaller pan should be ready to come out first. Adjust baking times based on the size of pans you use. I’d recommend using a thermometer to test doneness, which should be around 185 degrees, tested in the center of a middle bun.
• Frosting
• While the buns are in the oven, beat the frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
• Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, let them cool for at least 25 minutes.
• To frost: Dollop the frosting over the tops of the rolls and spread evenly.
• Cut out of the pans and enjoy! These are best eaten the day of, but if there are any left, way to go! (Show off.) To store, tightly cover with foil for a few days.