AUNTIE COCO'S CINNAMON ROLLS

I flew to Georgia for Easter to visit my brother, his wife and kids. We went to the top of Stone Mountain...

                    

sat on the porch and watched beautiful sunsets...

relaxed and played night games outside in the dark with the kids. And listened to the lonesome whippoorwill...ALL...NIGHT...LONG!

However, staying up late with the whippoorwill was worth it when I woke up Easter morning to this... (my sister-in-law knows the way to my heart) the most intoxicating smell AND the most amazing cinnamon rolls ever!

AUNTIE COCO'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Adapted slightly from Laurens Latest

Makes 12 cinnamon rolls

Dough:
3/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast {use the fast acting kind}
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 1/2-5 cups all purpose unbleached flour

Filling:
1/2 cup softened butte
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (you have to add slowly to find the right consistency you want)
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Make the Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour in water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and proof 5 minutes. Once mixture looks bubbly and frothy, pour in remaining sugar and salt. Stir on low for 15-20 seconds.

In a small bowl, whisk the  milk, oil and egg. Pour into the water and yeast mixture. Stir another 20 seconds in the mixer.

Add 2 cups of flour into mixer and stir on low until incorporated. add the dough hook now and slowly add the remaining 2 1/2 - 3 cups of flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. Dough should be sticky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched.

Once it has reached this stage, knead for 5 minutes. Remove dough from bowl, grease and replace back into same mixing bowl {since it's practically clean anyways.} Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Rise 1-2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

Fill and Cut the Rolls:
In a medium size bowl, stir brown sugar and cinnamon together until combined. Set aside.

Punch down dough.

Flour a large clean table liberally with flour. Roll dough out to be a 20x30 rectangle {or as close to that as possible}.  Spread softened butter over dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1/2-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough. Add the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture over the butter. Start at a long end and roll dough into a log. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log.  Cut the log in half and cut each half into 6 rolls, So you should have a total of 12 rolls.

Place into parchment paper lined, greased pans. 12 into a 9x13,  Cover pans with plastic wrap and dish towels. Let rolls rise another 1-2 hours or until they are touching and have risen almost double.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree for 17 minutes, or until tops start to brown. Watch them carefully!

Make the Frosting: 
While the rolls are baking, mix the frosting. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to a medium size bowl then add 1/4 cup heavy cream and stir until combined. Slowly add more heavy cream until you have the right consistency.

 Once rolls have been removed from the oven, frost them using half the amount of frosting made. Then after they have cooled a few more minutes, frost again with remaining frosting. The first frosting will melt down into the rolls and the second layer should stay put. Serve warm.

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