Cinnamon rolls are probably one of my favorite foods ever.

There’s something just so comforting about them. What feels like just yesterday my family and I would make those Pillsbury cinnamon rolls out of a can (tube?) for a special Sunday breakfast. Of course I’d always be on frosting duty. Just so I could make mine have the most.

My co-worker told me that these reminded him of those Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. Just homemade and with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Without even meaning to, that’s what I was aiming for.

My days were much less stressful back then. My only worries were making sure my brother and I wouldn’t get caught sneaking junk food in the middle of the night and making sure I reached my reading goal for school so I could join the Friday reading celebration. Those memories got brought up when making and consuming these delectable cinnamon rolls. It’s funny how food can make you feel so nostalgic.

Although I miss those days, the present isn’t too bad either. Of course nothing can ever be perfect but I’m working through it. I need to stop dwelling on the fact I can’t be at culinary school right now and enjoy everything I have now. Although school is definitely not what I expected it to be, I appreciate everything else I have going for me. My boyfriend, family, friends, job, and the improvement I’ve been seeing on my baking skills.

That being said, I never thought I could create my own from-scratch cinnamon rolls when I first started baking. These sticky, cinnamon sugared, spiraled bread rolls are to die for! With thick swirls of spicy cinnamon sugar and a luscious topping of cream cheese frosting I don’t think these could get any better. Sometimes I astonish myself with some of the stuff I make. (Not cocky- confident.)

Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Glaze:
Ingredients: (makes 16 rolls)
For the dough-
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups warm water (around 100 F)
3/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar

For the filling-
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the glaze-
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 a stick of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 teaspoons milk

Directions:
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. 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.

Allow to rise: cover 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.

Once the dough is cool to the touch cut the 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 onto a 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Spread the half of the filling mixture evenly over the top surface of the dough. Roll tightly into a log, rolling it lengthwise. Cut into eight even sized slices/rolls and put the rolls into a 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 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!