Cinnamon Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 1/2 cups warm water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 10 to 11 1/2 cups unbleached flour

FILLING INGREDIENTS: (double if you like lots)

• 10 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 1/3 cup brown sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a stand mixer or in a large bowl, combine sugar, warm water and yeast. Give it a quick mix, cover and let yeast dissolve for 10 minutes.
2. Remove cover and add eggs, oil and salt. Mix together. Then add the flour cup by cup while mixing in between. You have enough flour when 1- the dough doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl 2- the dough is tacky but doesn’t stick to your fingers. (Be careful not to add too much flour!)
3. When there is enough flour added, knead for at least five minutes, or ten of kneading by hand. If using a mixer- cover the dough while kneading to keep the heat inside.
4. Cover the dough and let it rise 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and dump into a floured surface. Divide in half and roll out each half into a large rectangle, about twice as long as it is deep.
6. To each half, spread 1/2 of the butter, and evenly sprinkle half of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture.
7. Tightly roll dough up into one long snake. Using cinnamon dental floss, or a thin piece of thread, cut the dough (as shown in video) into 16 even slices per dough snake. (Discard the very ends)
8. Onto two greased jelly roll pan, evenly lay out all cinnamon roll dough rounds, 16 per cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 10-30 minutes.
9. Bake at 375 for 14-15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before spreading on frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 1 stick butter (room temp)
• 1 block of cream cheese (room temp)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons milk

1. Whip butter, cream cheese, vanilla and almond extract together for a minute or two, or until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk and salt. Mix together until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Spread on cinnamon rolls when they have been out of the oven for about 10 minutes.

NOTES:

If you want to make these into orange rolls, use the zest of 2 oranges instead of cinnamon in the filling, and the zest of one more orange in the frosting.