Clone of a Cinnabon

For those of you who have been wondering where I’ve been – well, my Stamp Studio has been under major re-organization – the process has been emotional, physically tiring, and in case Hubby reads my Blog – just a little financial – LOL.  Once it is complete I will post some pictures.

Since Hubby was in my Stamp Studio working on building another shelf and putting together a small bookcase, I decided to play in the kitchen.  I made a batch of cinnamon rolls from a recipe entitled Clone of a Cinnabon with a couple of changes because the recipe was orignally for use in a bread machine and even though I do own one I really just felt like using the Kitchen Aid Mixer instead.  Anyways, I’ve decided to post this on my Blog because a couple of you have asked for the recipe after hearing my Hubby’s opinion which was “these are the kind of cinnamon rolls that one would think would only be served in Heaven” – I was so touched!  So here it is with some pictures:

CLONE OF A CINNABON

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F) 

2 eggs, room temperature                              

1/3 cup butter, melted        

4-1/2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt                                                

1/2 cup white sugar

1 pkg. + 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2-1/2 tblsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast with a little bit (about 1 tblsp.) sugar in warm milk in a large bowl. 

Once the yeast is activated (about 15 min.), mix in the sugar, butter, salt and eggs.

Add flour, using your dough hook, knead the dough into a large ball.  Put in large oiled bowl and turn to distribute oil around dough.  Cover with warm, moist towel and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

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.  They will look like this:   Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about another hour.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake rolls in preheated oven, on lower rack, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. When they are done – immediately turn over onto cooking sheet lined with parchment paper so all the gooey, yummy drippings poor back into the crevices. They will look like this when they are done:

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.  They should look like this:

I doubled the frosting recipe because all my boys love extra frosting.  Everyone that has had them really LOVE them!  I hope this will inspire you to make a batch.  If you do, let me know what you think!  Happy baking!