Cinnamon Rolls

My very first "real" job was working at Cinnamonster in Grapevine Mills Mall. I was 13 and it was the first time I received a check, not just money from babysitting. I thought I was pretty cool. It was also my first job working in some sort of a bakery. I can remember coming home from work and always smelling like cinnamon. My clothes, my hair, just me in general. I don't know if that's when I feel in love with cinnamon, but since then I cannot get enough of it.

My next job was at The House of Bread. My favorite bread...Cinnamon Swirl. It was soooo good. Especially when I was the Assistant Baker. I put so much extra cinnamon swirl goodness that when the breads came out, and were dumped on the racks, the filling would drip down. Seriously it was the best site ever.

I have tried to recreate both the cinnamon swirl bread and cinnamon roll from my previous work experiences. I have now mastered one! The cinnamon roll. What's funny, to me at least, is that the recipe is actually called Clone of a Cinnabon. Cinnabon is Cinnamonster's competitor. But I have to admit these rolls are pretty close to what I can remember making as a 13 year old.

They come out, as told by my husband, "delicious, and cinnamatastic". Honestly they are truly just that. They're flaky, big, sweet, gooey...... I usually add a little more cinnamon, just because I can't get enough cinnamon. I think what reminds me the most of Cinnamonster's rolls is the frosting. Cream cheese frosting. Once again I add more cream cheese and not so much powder sugar. I just don't like having the flavor of powdered sugar.

What else is better than cutting into something so "cinnamatastic" to start the Valentines weekend?!

Cinnamon Rolls
Allrecipes.com

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk. Add eggs, margarine, flour and salt. Mix until a ball is formed. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
   
2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.