Yeast Bread, Part 2; Cinnamon Rolls

   As promised yesterday, I am about to show you how I made this lovely bundle of sweetness. Otherwise known as a cinnamon roll. 

     So where did we leave off yesterday? Oh yeah, the dough has been made and it has risen once. Now to make the cinnamon sugar filling for the cinnamon rolls! Once again, it is composed of the usual culprits: sugar, cinnamon, and butter.

And because I am my mother's child I threw in a dash of nutmeg and allspice.

Mix well... and try not to eat it all.

Retrieve the dough and turn out onto a floured surface.

Shape the dough into a rectangle with your hands.

Then, using the rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle. The dimensions of my rectangle were 24X16.

Pour the cinnamon sugar mix onto the dough and spread evenly over the entire surface.

Now it's time to start rolling! "Rolling!"

"Rolling!"

"Rolling on the river!"

It should make a nice smooth dough "log" like this one.

Grab a serrated knife...

and start cutting the rolls.

They are actually starting to look like cinnamon rolls now!

Arrange the rolls in greased pans.

And as if they weren't special enough...

brush them with more butter before letting them rise a second time.

This is after the second rise and just before they went in the oven! Bake until golden brown and irresistible.

Yeah. Just like this. Mmmmm.

Oh baby.

I have fond memories of Sunday and Saturday mornings with my family eating cinnamon rolls. Most of the time we ate the ones out of the can. My brothers and I would fight over who got the "empty" icing container. You know-- the white plastic cup with the silver lid. We would lick it until our tongue hurt. Those are some great memories. I also remember special times when my mom made cinnamon rolls from scratch. It was such a labor of love because she had to wake up so much earlier than us to have them ready by breakfast time. We would wake up to the heavenly smell of cinnamon rolls coming out of the oven. Fresh, piping hot. I have such a sweet momma :)

Wait one cotton-picking minute! These rolls are missing something!

That's much better :)

This cream cheese icing is the perfect compliment to these cinnamon rolls. Just beat together 2 ounces of softened cream cheese, a heaping tablespoon of softened butter, 1/8 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 3/4 cup powdered sugar.

Look at it's cute little brown bottom!

Don't mind if I do!

Thanks for reading on this beautiful Thursday! I hope it is beautiful where you are :) love y'all!