I found it! I found the perfect (and not too difficult) cinnamon roll recipe! So...back story...
My dad taught me how to cook, well mostly my dad. Of course my mom taught me as well, but my dad taught me how to make up/change/adjust recipes at will and still have them turn out ok. So, whenever I cook using a recipe I ALWAYS change the directions or ingredients to fit my every whim or need (as the case may be). So, with the cinnamon rolls I made last night I did just that and they turned out amazing! I say all of this to state that I claim the following recipe completely as my own because I changed is SO much from the original. Warning: These are not healthy cinnamon rolls. I prefer the real deal when I cook desserts. So, this recipe has lots, and lots of butter, sugar and things that are not healthy for you. They are wonderful as is...so substitute at your own risk. :)
Perfect Cinnamon Roll Recipe!
FOR THE DOUGH:
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
3 – 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
Filling:
6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
about 1 cup dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoon of cinnamon
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, softened to room-temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon milk
Directions:
For the dough: Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add sugar, tablespoon at a time, to yeast and water mixture. Let sit 1 minute. Add milk, salt, egg, vanilla extract, butter, and yeast mixture to a bowl. Beat together, then add 1.5 cups of flour. Beat everything together on low with a handheld mixer, scraping down the sides as needed. With a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough easy to handle – about 1.5 – 2 more cups. You are looking for a dough that is not sticky and will spring back when poked with a finger.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands for about 5-6 minutes (adding flour as needed). Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the dough and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and small bread pan and sprinkle 2 T of dark brown sugar on bottom of pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick, even at the corners.
For the filling: As the dough is rising, melt 6 Tablespoons butter. Spread the dough rectangle with the butter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon. (The key here is to put enough brown sugar and cinnamon on the butter to keep it from pouring out of the roll when rolled and cut.) Tightly roll up the dough and cut into 16 even rolls with a very sharp knife. Arrange them in the prepared baking pans. I put twelve in the 9 X 13 (4 rows of 3) and 4 in the bread pan. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Cover the rolls with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Turn off oven, remove tin foil and let the cinnamon rolls rest in cooling oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
For the frosting: While the cinnamon rolls are cooling, make the frosting. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and milk to a medium sized bowl. Beat until blended and smooth (about 3 minutes). Once cinnamon rolls are cool, frost generously.
I only use salted butter in this recipe for a reason. The salt balances out the sweet and give the cinnamon rolls a delicious buttery taste. Also, the brown sugar on the bottom of the greased pan caramelizes the bottom of the roll adding another texture. Morgan and I found this recipe to be balanced in every way: not too sweet, not too gooey, not too dry...just perfect! Enjoy!