Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp AP flour
• 1 pkg dry yeast, about 2 1/2 tsp
• 1 cup warm milk (microwave 30 seconds)
• 2 beaten eggs
• 3 tbsp melted butter, cooled
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups AP flour
• 1-2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar, or more :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3 tbsp softened butter
• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, add warm water, salt, sugar, 2 tbsp of flour, and dry yeast, whisk to blend. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in microwave and cool until warm (NO hot ingredients can go into the yeast mixture, it will kill it) Add to yeast mixture. Then add the warm milk and beaten eggs, mix until combined.
Sift the whole wheat flour and 3 cups of AP flour. Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture, then add an additional 1 1/2 cups of sifted AP flour and stir/mix until moistened.
Dump your dough ball onto a lightly floured board or counter top and knead for about 2 minutes or until the dough has come into a soft ball. Use enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the board/counter top.

Grease a medium size bowl with soft butter and place the dough ball into it. Butter the top of the dough with 1 tbsp of softened butter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a draft free, warm space. Allow to rise for 1 hour. Press with fingers and when you leave fingerprints in the dough, it's ready.

Punch down the dough to release the air. Plop the dough onto a lightly floured board/counter top. Roll into a large rectangle, about 16x24. Smear the remaining 2 tbsp (or more) softened butter over the dough, distribute evenly. I will tell you, I used about 1/2 stick of butter.
Generously sprinkle the rectangle with cinnamon. I did not measure the cinnamon but make sure you have an even coating. Evenly distribute the brown sugar over the rectangle. If you like, you can add chopped walnuts or pecans.

Starting at the bottom of the rectangle, roll to the top, rolling as tightly as possible into a log. Punch the end together to form a seam down the roll.
Generously butter two 9 inch cake pans. Cut the log into 1" pieces and place into pans. Cover with the kitchen towel and allow to rise again for about an hour.

While the rolls are rising, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until blended. Add the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of milk , and vanilla. Beat on low speed. Add the last remaining milk and blend until combined.
Preheat the oven to 350 and bake the rolls for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes. Do not cool any longer than that because the brown sugar/butter mixture will harden and the rolls will be hard to remove.

Invert onto a plate to get it out of the pan and then onto a serving plate so that the cinnamon rolls are right side up. Ice with the frosting and enjoy!

If you'd like the rolls in the morning, right after you shape them into cinnamon rolls, cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towels. Refrigerate overnight. Go right from the fridge to the 350' preheated oven. They may take a few minutes longer to bake.