Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

For the rolls:

Mix milk, yeast, butter (2 tablespoons) and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large mixing bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until mixture is frothy. Stir in egg, remaining sugar and 1 cup flour and mix. Let it sit another 10 minutes.

Add in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time and the salt until mixture resembles a sticky dough (you may not use all the flour).

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 4-6 minutes, or until dough is elastic. If still sticky, knead in the remaining flour. Place dough in a large bowl that you’ve coated with cooking spray and cover it. Let rise in a warm place (at least 85 F) until doubled in size. This may take up to 1 hour.

Once dough has risen, punch it down, re-cover it and let it rise an additional 35-45 minutes, or until doubled in size again. Punch down again and let rest 5 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 9 x 18 rectangle. Gently brush remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter all over the dough.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the melted butter covered dough with the brown sugar/pumpkin pie spice mixture. Then carefully roll up the dough from one end to the other, pressing the sides down with your fingers.

Using a sharp, un-serrated knife, cut the dough vertically into 14 slices. Place the slices cut side down into 2 greased baking dishes (I used a 9 x 18 and an 8 x 8 circle), cover and let rise another 35-40 minutes, or until doubled in size. (I let it rise about an hour).

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake rolls for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove rolls from pans and let them cool on a wire cooling rack.

While rolls cool, prepare frosting by whisking butter and cream together. Add in vanilla. Then gradually add powdered sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, until mixture is a little thick but still runny.

Drizzle rolls with frosting (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each) while still warm and serve.

Recipe adapted from My Recipes.