Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110 F
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 6 tablespoons softened for filling
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (for filling)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for filling)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (for glaze)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
• 3 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 1 cup warm milk (it should feel comfortably warm on your wrist, not hot, since heat above 120 F kills the yeast) with the 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir once and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy on top; if it does not foam, your yeast is dead and you need a fresh packet.
2. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon salt to the foamy yeast mixture and whisk or beat until combined.
3. Add the 4 1/2 cups flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition (with a dough hook on low speed, or by hand with a wooden spoon and then your hands), until a shaggy dough forms that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7 to 8 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes with a stand mixer on medium-low), until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back slowly when poked with a finger; it should feel tacky but not sticky enough to coat your fingers.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled in size; you can test this by pressing two fingers into the dough, and if the indentation stays, it is ready.
6. Punch the risen dough down gently to release air, then turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle about 16 by 12 inches, roughly 1/4 inch thick, using a rolling pin.
7. Spread the 6 tablespoons softened butter evenly over the entire surface of the dough using a spatula or your fingers, going all the way to the edges.
8. In a small bowl, mix the 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon together, then sprinkle it evenly over the buttered dough, pressing it gently into the butter with your palms so it does not fall off during rolling.
9. Starting from one of the long edges, roll the dough tightly into a log, keeping the roll even and snug as you go; a loose roll causes gaps in the finished rolls.
10. Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss slid underneath and crossed over the top, cut the log into 12 equal pieces, each about 1.5 inches thick.
11. Arrange the rolls cut-side up in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish, spacing them evenly since they will expand and touch as they rise. Cover loosely and let rise again in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy and touching each other; preheat the oven to 350 F during the last 15 minutes of this second rise.
12. Bake the rolls for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top and a roll in the center reads no visible raw dough when you gently pull two rolls apart to check.
13. While the rolls bake, beat the 4 ounces cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until you have a smooth, pourable glaze.
14. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes in the pan (glazing them too hot will make the glaze melt into a thin puddle instead of sitting on top), then spread or drizzle the glaze generously over the warm rolls before serving.

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