Confession #68: Sometime you just need sweet, buttery goodness… Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in milk and let sit for 5 minutes to activate yeast.
2. Add melted butter, eggs, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture and mix with the paddle attachment. If you didn’t bring your eggs to room temperature first, add them to the melted butter initially to balance out the two temperatures before adding to the other ingredients.
3. Add flour and mix in.
4. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Using the dough hook, knead dough until a smooth, non-sticky dough forms, for at least 5 minutes. Remove the dough and shape it into a smooth ball. Place it in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled (1-2 hours).
5. Prepare filling by whisking together brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll risen dough out into a 16″x21″ rectangle. Rub 1/3 cup of softened butter onto the surface of the dough, and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the entire surface. Roll the dough up into a log, starting with one of the 21″ sides, pressing in at the end to form a seam. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces (it helps to cut the whole roll in half, then each half in half again, and then each quarter into 3 pieces.
6. Place the cut rolls spiral side up into a greased 9″x13″ pyrex dish, leaving space between each roll when possible and keeping the outer seams facing inward toward the other rolls. Let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled or filling up the space in the dish.
7. Bake the rolls immediatley, or place them in the fridge to bake the next morning. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. If you refridgerated the rolls, bring them back to room temperature before baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until they’re just starting to turn golden. You can use a toothpick to test if they are done baking, but be sure not to over-bake them, as you want them to be soft. I recommend checking the rolls after 18 minutes.
8. Once the rolls are almost done baking, prepare the cinnamon glaze. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and milk to the melted butter and mix until smooth. Pour onto the rolls while they are warm. If the glaze hardens before the rolls are out of the oven or it isn’t saucy enough to begin with, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to bring back to a smooth, pourable consistency.
9. Enjoy fresh from the oven. Leftovers can be reheated individual in the microwave for about 25 seconds and will still be full of ooey gooey goodness. :)