Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast overtop. 1 cup warm milk, 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
Add the eggs, butter (melted, but not hot), salt and sugar. Add the flour and mix using the paddle attachment on low speed just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids. 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup salted butter , 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 4- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook. Beat the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until a soft dough forms that is elastic and smooth. **The dough will be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That’s ok! Don’t be tempted to add more flour at this point.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Set the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise until nearly double. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy.
Make the cinnamon filling:
While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until well combined. Set aside. 3/4 cup salted butter, 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Assemble the rolls:
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a very large rectangle (about 26"x18" if you can get it that big).
Use a rubber spatula to smooth the brown sugar filling over the whole dough rectangle.
Use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle in half down the middle to make two squares.
Starting with one of the halves, on the long end, roll the dough up tightly jelly roll style. Cut the rolled part into 6 slices using a serrated knife or dough cutter.
With the remaining rolled out dough, use a pizza cutter to cut 6 long strips of dough. The strips should be about the same width as the rolled dough that you have already made.
Place one of the rolls on its side one of the strips you cut. Roll the strip around the outside of the rolls again to make the roll twice as big. Repeat with the remaining 5 rolls. You should end up with 6 very large rolls.
Place the rolls in a greased 10×15" baking pan.* Cover the pan and allow the rolls to have a second rise for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350ºF. It's ok if they don't rise much. They'll rise as they bake.
Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it hot…you just don’t want it cold. It should be warm to the touch. Pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls. 1/2 cup heavy cream
Bake for about 28 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. If the rolls are getting too browned on top, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
While the rolls are cooling, prepare the cream cheese icing. In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Blend well. Add in your favorite extract and the powdered sugar. Beat until combined. 3 ounces cream cheese, 2 1/2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
Spread the frosting over the cooled rolls. Serve the rolls on a large platter or place each one in its own small cast iron skillet for a pretty look.
Notes
If you don’t have a pan that size, you can use two smaller 8×8″ baking pans.
Instant yeast or active dry yeast both work in this recipe.
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 6 VERY LARGE rolls, with 1 serving being 1 large frosted roll. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**