Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (copycat)

Who can pass up a cinnamon roll? Not me! Would you believe this is the first time I have ever made them. Well maybe that's a fib. I think I did try them once a long time ago, with not the best success, so I never tried again. A little while after Covid started my next door neighbor brought some cinnamon rolls over that were so good and I have been thinking of making them ever sense. It just seemed so time consuming and the yeast sometimes can be scary. I don't know why I say that because making bread is easy for me and it always turns out.  Of course then it got warm outside so I put that thought on the back burner. 
This recipe is easy to follow and next time I'm going to try the second rise overnight on the counter and see if they turn out just as good. Then they will be freshly baked in the morning. YUM, warm and fresh cinnamon rolls!  Easy peasy, try them!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 (1/4 oz.) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons, if in a jar and not a package)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour or regular flour (bread flour makes for a lighter cinnamon roll)

Filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• Raisins, as many as you choose. (optional)

Frosting:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Microwave milk for 45 seconds. Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl and let it bubble and react for 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour. Mix well. knead dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour OR with a stand mixer with dough hook for about 3-4 minutes till it makes a ball.
2. Put into a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until dough has double in size.  If you have a proof setting on your oven by all means us this, that's what I do.
3. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine brown sugar and cinnamon, (set aside)
4. Sprinkle surface with flour and roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread dough with 1/3 cup softened butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture, and add raisins, if using . Roll up dough starting with longer side and cut with sharp knife into 12 large rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 45-60  minutes. If making the night before I let them rise covered with a light dish towel on the counter overnight.
5. Meanwhile, Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. While rolls are baking beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. 
6. Spread rolls with frosting while they are still warm out of the oven so the frosting melts and runs down into the rolls a little.

Recipe adapted from "The Girl Who Ate Everything" Blog