Classic Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Glaze

Add yeast to the water in a large bowl. Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve. Add the salt, sugar, and all of the flour, measuring it with dry-ingredient measuring cups, by gently scooping the flour, then sweeping the top level with a knife or spatula. Don’t press down into the flour as you scoop or you’ll throw off the measurement by compressing it. Mix with a wooden spoon. If necessary, reach into your bowl and press the mixture together with your hands. Don’t knead! It isn’t necessary. You’re finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. Dough should be wet and loose enough to conform to the shape of the container.

Cover the bowl with a towel that fits well over the bowl you’re using. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature for two hours. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to an hour after it rises (it will make the dough easier to work with). Meanwhile, make the filling.

Beat together the cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, and butter until combined. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it evenly in half. Take one half of the dough and pat it with flour. Lay it on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Spread the half of the filling mixture evenly over the top surface of the dough. Roll it up tightly into a log, rolling it lengthwise. Cut into eight even sized slices/rolls and put the rolls into 9-inch cake pans. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling in a separate cake pan.

Let them both rise at covered, at room temperature for one hour. Towards the end of the rising period, preheat oven to 350 F.

Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes or until the tops and edges are golden brown. After pulling them out of the oven, cut around each roll with a knife to separate them. Let them cool while making the glaze.

To make the glaze beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until it forms a smooth mixture. Add a teaspoon of milk at a time to smooth the mixture together if needed. Dip the tops of the cinnamon rolls into the cream cheese mixture. Serve and enjoy!