amazing cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from recipe by Paula Deen)

Dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4 oz pkg)

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup scalded milk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 tablespoons hot water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (approximately 100-110 degrees; follow instructions on yeast package) and set aside.  Mix scalded milk, granulated sugar, softened butter, salt and egg in a large bowl.  Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth.  Add foamy yeast mixture.  Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.  Knead dough with a dough hook on the #2 setting of KitchenAid mixer for 2 minutes or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes.  Place dough in bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, cover and let rise until doubled in size (approximately 1.5-2 hours).

Sift together brown sugar, ground cinnamon and cocoa powder and set aside.  When dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and punch it down on a floured surface.  Roll dough out into a 15 x 9 inch rectangle.  Brush milk all over dough with a pastry brush, then brush melted butter all over dough.  Spread sifted sugar mixture over dough.  Beginning at the 15-in side, roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal.  Cut into 12 to 15 slices.

Place cinnamon rolls in glass baking dishes lined with parchment paper; do not pack them close together (they should be spaced out so that they have room to rise).  A 9 x 13 inch dish should hold eight rolls.  Let rolls rise until dough has doubled in size (approximately 45-60 minutes).  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned.

While baking, make the glaze by mixing the softened butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time, until glaze reaches desired consistency.  Spread glaze over slightly cooled rolls and enjoy!

**Anden helped me make these and they were SOOOO good!  I was pretty nervous about making them, but it was surprisingly easy (after I'd read a dozen recipes online and pulled bits and pieces of tips together into one new recipe).  It seems difficult, but it was quite straightforward.  This is mostly based on a recipe from Paula Deen on the Food Network's website, with several tweaks here and there--the most obvious is the addition of cocoa powder.  All I can say is that I just might have to make these for every holiday and birthday and celebration (you get the picture) from now on...

Here are a few pictures of our afternoon with the cinnamon rolls (Mckay and Finley were napping at the time).  Oh, and yes, they do taste tons better than they look in these pictures--blame it on my camera!