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Gooey Birthday Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 1 vote
Traditional cinnamon rolls with sprinkles on top and double cream cheese frosting, as God intended.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 9
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Rolls
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 packet instant dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp salted butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3 cups bread flour (or all-purpose)
  • 1 tsp salt
Cinnamon Filling
  • 5 tbsp salted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp salted butter, softened
  • 1¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
 

For the dough:
  1. Warm milk in the microwave until temperature registers at 115 degrees. Transfer milk to standing mixer bowl and sprinkle packet of yeast on top. Add sugar, melted butter, egg, and egg yolk, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
  2. Add flour and salt slowly, mixing as you go, until there are no white streaks left and it becomes hard to mix.
  3. Return bowl to stand mixer and attach dough hook. Mix on low-medium using the dough hook for 6 minutes. If the dough is still sticking to the bottom of the bowl toward the end of the 6 minutes, sprinkle in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
  4. Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Remove dough from mixer, shape into a ball, and place in greased bowl; cover completely with a warm towel, and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes.
  5. After dough has risen, dust your work surface with plenty of flour. Roll your dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
For the filling:
  1. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  2. Spread the softened butter over the entirety of your dough rectangle. Top with your cinnamon sugar mixture and rub the mixture into the butter.
Once assembled:
  1. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
  2. From the short side of the rectangle, tightly roll up the dough, pinching the dough at the edge to seal. Slice off the very edges of each side of the log, and use a serrated knife to cut the dough into nine evenly sized slices, about 1 inch wide.
  3. Place the rolls into the lined pan. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for about an hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. After rising, remove the towel from the pan and bake rolls for 25 minutes. If you want the rolls to be as perfect as possible, insert a food thermometer into the middle roll and remove the pan once the temperature hits 195 °F.
For the frosting:
  1. While the rolls bake, make your cream cheese frosting. Use your stand mixer's whisk attachment to thoroughly combine cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar and vanilla, beating for about two minutes until smooth.
  2. Spread frosting over warm rolls and top with your favorite sprinkles.