Awesome Cinnamon Roll Recipe

I have always been complimented on my cinnamon rolls. As a matter of fact people pay me to make them! My usual recipe takes a day and a half. Here's a great recipe that makes fluffy rolls that my daughter says make her tongue dance in just two hours from start to finish. This will have people emerging from their beds at the smell of cinnamon and sugar. Let me know how it works for you and feel free to ask questions! I am here to help.

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 cup very warm water
1 Pkg  ACTIVE DRY Yeast
1 egg
3 cups bread flour ( All purpose will work but may yield a sticky dough that is difficult to work with)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp vanilla
 7 Tablespoons UNSALTED butter, softened


Filling:
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
½  cup brown sugar
2 ½  Tsp Cinnamon
Raisins- Optional
Pecans- Optional

Icing:
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk, warm
splash vanilla
Tiny Pinch salt


Additional Components:
Boiling water

Preheat oven to 400.

Mixing the Dough:
1.  Add yeast to warm water in mixing bowl. Stir. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Mix bread flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Add flour mixture to yeast in mixing bowl. Gently mix until flour is moistened.
4.  Add egg and continue to mix.
5. Add butter and mix.
6. Knead by hand or in mixer until dough is silky and not sticky.
7. Place in lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rest  on top of or next to oven  for 30 minutes.
(should be  a warm place that is  not too hot).
8. Mix filling and frosting while dough rises.

Making the Filling:
1. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together.
2. Butter will be spread onto dough after it is rolled out.

Frosting:
1. Melt butter.
2. Mix powdered sugar and butter together into a stiff paste.
3. Add warm milk until desired consistency is reached.


Making the Rolls:
1. After leaving the dough in a warm place for 30 minutes it should be lighter and spongy to the touch and  expanded slightly. 
2.  Roll out onto a lightly floured surface in to a rectangle  approximately  9” x  13”. Long side should be nearest to you.
3.  Spread 2 tb of butter onto surface of dough
4. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture onto buttered surface gently spread with finger and pat down into dough.
5. Roll dough from the long edge into a roll. Carefully sweep off excess flour as you roll. (the extra flour will dry out the filling.
6.  Cut  1 ½” slices from the dough and place into buttered pan.
7. Cover and let sit in warm place 30 minutes.

Baking:
1. Boil water.
2. Place shallow baking pan on lowest rack of oven.
3. Carefully pour hot water into pan until half full and close oven for 5 minutes .
4. Place rolls into oven and bake for 20 minutes.
5. If water remains in the oven, carefully remove.
6. Bake rolls 5-10 minutes longer until tops begin to brown.
7. Top with Frosting and enjoy!