Lion House Cinnamon Rolls

This is a slight variation on a recipe I got from a friend a couple years ago.  I have no idea if this recipe it's actually the recipe they use at the Lion House restaurant in Salt Lake City.  Anyway about it, these cinnamon rolls have become one of my absolute favorites, to make and to eat.  There is something so much fun about making bread to me.  I love kneading dough and then having it come together at the perfect consistency.  And then rolling up that dough with butter, cinnamon,  and brown sugar... baking... and topping it all with cream cheese frosting.  I mean really, does life yet better than that?

I especially like this recipe because it takes less time than others I've tried and the taste is amazing.  I really enjoy making these for my husband to take to work.  I get rave reviews every time and I have a few for my family and can send the rest away where I won't consumer them.  The last batch I made egg-free and wasn't let down a bit.


Ingredients:
 
2 Tablespoons dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F.)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup dry milk
2 ½ tsp salt
1 egg (or 1/4 cup mashed banana)
5 to 6 cups flour

Additional ingredients:
brown sugar
butter
cinnamon

Directions:
In the large bowl combine yeast and warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, dry milk, salt, egg (or mashed banana) and 2 cups of the flour. Beat together until very smooth. Add 2 more cups flour, one at a time, and beat until smooth.

Add about one more cup of flour, ½ cup at a time until it is well mixed in. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and satiny.

Gather dough into a ball. Scrap bowl clean and grease. Return dough ball to bowl. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until about triple in bulk (approx 1-1 ½ hrs).


Dump dough ball onto a clean, floured counter and punch down. Take all the dough at once for very large rolls (or half at a time for medium sized rolls) and use rolling pin to shape dough into a long rectangle. Brush melted butter over the dough rectangle. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the buttered area.

Roll the rectangle from the top of the long edge to the bottom. Use floss, thread, or a serrated knife to cut individual cinnamon rolls from your dough roll. 

Place rolls on cookie sheet, let rise another 15 minutes,

and then bake at 400 degrees for 10-13 minutes.

Slather with cream cheese icing and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 package cream cheese (4oz), softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar - depending on how sweet you want it.  I usually use 1 1/2 cups to allow the cream cheese flavor to stand out.

Icing Directions:
Mix together icing ingredients until smooth and creamy. For best results, frost cinnamon rolls while warm.