As we are all at home with our families during these stressful times, I thought of doing something to lighten the mood and bring some sweetness to our lives. A couple of days ago, I was recapping through all my fun and interesting baking experiences. The best of them was dense cinnamon buns with a thick glaze which we made on my 13th birthday sleepover, we all had a great laugh that day. Well I was up for the challenge this time and out came mouthwatering spongy delicious cinnamon buns with perfectly smooth glaze. Hope you all enjoy making them with your family as a great stress reliever and a fun family activity.  Make them at home and if you need any help will be happy to get on a call.  Do send pictures to share.  Continue to share and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram and remember to contribute to our chandelier.

Dough

• 2 cups whole milk, warm to the touch
• ½ cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Filling

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons ground or powder cinnamon

Icing

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cup powdered sugar

Recipe:

1. For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, sugar, and melted butter. The mixture should be just warm, so if you put your finger in the mixture, it should not feel either hot or cold. If it is warm allow it to cool slightly.
2. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the milk mixture, stir, and let sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes until the yeast has bloomed.
3. Add 4 cups out of the 5 cups of flour to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
4. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until nearly doubled in size.
5. Generously butter any round or square baking pans and set aside.
6. For the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Mix well, then set aside.
7. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and add the remaining cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a clean surface. Leave a bit of flour nearby to use as needed but try not to incorporate too much.
8. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface or your hands. The dough should be very smooth and spring back when poked.
9. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½ inch thick. Fix the corners with a bench scraper or a spatula to make sure they are sharp and even.
10. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
11. Starting from end, roll up the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down. Trim any uneven ends.
12. Using unflavored dental floss, cut the log into evenly pieces, about 1 inch thick. Place the cinnamon rolls in the prepared pans and place them apart as they will grow in size. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, until expanded by about half of their original volume. If you’re saving the cinnamon rolls for later, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up 3 months.
13. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
14. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
15. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and whisk until runny.
16. When the cinnamon rolls are finished, let cool for about 10 minutes.
17. Drizzle as much the frosting over the cinnamon rolls, using the back of a spoon to spread if desired.
18. Send me pics at anuj@anujshah.com if wanted and enjoy.