In all honesty, I’m not much of a breakfast person. School mornings are always a rush. I usually only have enough time to have a few bites before rushing out the door. However, I do enjoy making breakfast when I can — bread especially. It’s always so rewarding to take a bite out of freshly-baked, homemade bread and each time, I wonder why I don’t make it more often.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze (click to print)
makes 18 rolls
from Bon Appetit via Foodess

Dough
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups (possibly more) all purpose flour, divided use
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt

Filling
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the milk and butter in a glass measuring cup, and microwave until the butter melts and the mixture is 120°F to 130°F, about 30 to 45 seconds. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and add 1 cup of flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and beat on low speed until the flour is absorbed. If the dough is very sticky, add flour by tablespoons until the dough begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball.

Lightly oil a large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. (I’ve found that preheating the oven to the baking temperature, in this case, 375°F, and then placing the bowl on top of the stove works very well. That way, the dough will be able to rise in a warm area and the oven will already be preheated for later.)

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Punch down the dough. Transfer to a lightly-floured work surface. Roll out to a 15 x 11-inch rectangle. Spread the butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter. Starting at one long side, roll the dough into a log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 18 equal slices, each about 3/4 inches.

Spray two 9-inch square (or round) baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide the rolls between the baking dishes, arranging the cut side up. Cover the baking dishes with plastic wrap and then with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (if not already preheated). Bake until the tops of the rolls are golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat using an electric mixer until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm.