Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch

2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid rise yeast

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¾ cup whole milk, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

Filling

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Glaze

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the dough:  Whisk flour, cornstarch, yeast and salt together in bowl of stand mixer.  Whisk milk, eggs, and sugar together in a separate bowl until sugar has dissolved.

Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.  Increase speed to medium-low, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead until butter is fully incorporated, about 6 minutes.  The dough will look like a HOT MESS for a few minutes.  Just let the mixer continue for the full 6+ minutes!!  Continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 3 more minutes.  It seems like a long time, but be patient!  Let the dough work for 9 minutes total!

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds.  Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 2 to 2 ½ hours.

Make foil sling for 13 x 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil: first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide.  Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan.  Push foil into corners and up sides of pan smoothing foil flush to pan, then spray foil with vegetable spray. This is a very important step!  Do NOT skip this step!!

 For the filling:  Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt in bowl.  Press down on dough to deflate, then transfer to lightly floured counter.  Press and roll dough into 18-inch square.  Spread butter over dough, leaving ½ -inch border around edges.  Sprinkle with sugar mixture leaving ¾ -inch border at the top edge and press lightly to adhere.

Roll dough away from you into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go.  Pinch seam closed, then reshape cylinder as needed to be 18 inches in length with uniform thickness.  Using serrated knife, cut cylinder into 8 pieces and arrange cut side down in prepared pan. ** Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour before baking.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake until buns are golden brown and filling is melted, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking.

For the Glaze:  Whisk all ingredients in bowl until smooth.  Top buns with ½ cup glaze and let cool in pan for 30 minutes.  Using foil overhang, transfer buns to wire rack and top with remaining glaze.  Serve warm.

**If you would like to make these yummy buns for breakfast and want to sleep a couple more hours, you may freeze them!!

After forming the buns and placing them in the pan, fold the foil overhang loosely over the dough and place in the freezer.  After they have frozen solid (12 hours or so) remove the foil and buns from the pan and wrap in plastic wrap.  Place the back into the freezer until you are ready.  The night before, take them out of the freezer, remove the plastic wrap, place them back in the pan, and unfold the foil.  Leave them on your kitchen counter overnight covered loosely with plastic wrap to rise.  In the morning, you’ll be ready to bake!!

*** This recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen Bread Illustrated.