Chef notes

Homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch, no canned dough. Rolling the log tight is the trick to getting good swirls. I frosted them while they were still warm so the cream cheese frosting (same one from my red velvet cake) melts down into all the layers. The middle roll is the softest one and everyone tries to grab it first.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Milk
• Instant yeast
• Butter
• Sugar
• Egg
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract

Recipe

1. 1.Warm the milk and whisk in the yeast. Mix in the flour, sugar, salt, egg, and softened butter and knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Cover and rise until doubled, 1 to 1.5 hours.
2. 2.Roll the dough out into a big rectangle. Spread softened butter all over it, then sprinkle a thick, even layer of brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. 3.Roll it up into a tight log and slice into rolls.
4. 4.Arrange the rolls in a buttered baking dish with a little space between them. Cover and rise another 30–45 minutes until puffy.
5. 5.Bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes until golden on top.
6. 6.Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a frosting, and spread it over the rolls while they're still warm so it melts into every swirl.

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