The Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls

I have never made any type of home-made bread before, but this recipe was a great start and it really was not too hard (surprisingly)! I had to call my mom a couple of times at the store regarding a few ingredients I haven't worked with before; what's the difference between all-purpose flour and bread flour or what the heck is vital wheat gluten? BUT once I did I ran with it! I decided to make these cinnamon rolls for a weekend away at the cabin and they were a hit! Easy to prepare beforehand and quick to bake the morning of. The lemon extract balanced out flavor of the cinnamon perfectly. I plan to make these at Christmas this year as many people wrote they've done after making them. Bon Appetite!

The Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls
from Whipped Blog


1 cup milk (heated approximately 1 minute in microwave)
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 cups bread flour
1 tbsp. vital wheat gluten **
3 tsp. instant active dry yeast
Cinnamon Filling (see recipe below)
Butter Frosting (see recipe below)
**The Vital Wheat Gluten helps the sweet bread dough rise better, be more elastic, and easier to roll out

CINNAMON FILLING
1/2 cup butter, melted or softened
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a 5 quart stand mixer, combine all the ingredients in the order given except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting. Using a dough hook, mix everything together until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface (you can spray the counter with cooking spray, you just don’t want to add a lot more flour if it is sticky), and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.2. Butter a 9×13x2-inch baking pan; set aside. After dough has rested, roll and stretch the dough into approximately a 15×24-inch rectangle. Brush the softened butter over the top. Combine the cinnamon and sugar well in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling over the butter. Starting with long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal.
3. Use a sharp knife and cut 1 ½ inch thick cinnamon rolls (it doesn’t need to be precise). Place cut side up in prepared pan, flattening them only slightly. The unbaked cinnamon rolls should not touch each other before rising and baking. Do not pack the unbaked cinnamon rolls together.4. To bake immediately: cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled in size (after rising, rolls should be touching each other and the sides of the pan). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in a regular oven approximately 20 to 25 or until they are a light golden brown. Bake in a convection oven approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
To bake up to two days later: Put them in the refrigerator covered. They will rise slowly overnight. Put them into the oven the next morning and follow above cooking instructions.
Once baked, spread the warm rolls with Butter Frosting.

BUTTER FROSTING
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. lemon extract

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon extract or oil until well mixed and creamy. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use and then bring to room temperature before spreading.