When you bake Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls, you can almost see the delicious cinnamon aroma wafting from them; it’s like an enchantment in the air, taking you back to childhood mornings when the same smell had you rushing out of bed. Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls taste even better than you remember, with that rich, pull-apart texture and aromatic spiced and sweet spiral. Draped with creamy, cool frosting, these cinnamon rolls make for a lip-licking, luscious dessert or the brightest of breakfasts. Be prepared to find yourself dreaming back to your happiest moments!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup warm water, about 110-115 degrees F
- 1 cup milk, not skim
- 1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more, to taste
For the filling:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Grease a large bowl and two separate 9×13-inch baking dishes.
Step 2 –In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the warm water.
Step 3 –In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the milk and the pudding mix together at low speed for about 1 minute. Let the pudding mixture stand until it soft sets, for about 1 minute.
Step 4 –Add the egg, 1/4 cup of the melted butter, the salt, the yeast mixture, and 2 cups of the flour to the pudding mixture. Beat together on medium speed until a smooth mixture forms.
Step 5 –Add more of the extra flour until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Step 6 –Using the extra flour, lightly dust a kitchen counter or work surface.
Step 7 –Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 8 –Place the dough into the greased bowl, turning it over so that every part of the surface is greased.
Step 9 –Cover the bowl and let it set in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 10 –While the dough sits, in a small bowl, mix the sugar and the cinnamon. Set it aside.
Step 11 –Deflate the dough and divide it in half. Place half the dough on the floured work surface and roll it out into an 18×10-inch rectangle.
Step 12 –Brush the top of the dough with half of the 1/4 cup of the melted butter reserved for the filling.
Step 13 –Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough.
Step 14 –Starting with the long side, roll the dough up, creating a spiral with the cinnamon-sugar in the center. Once rolled, pinch the long seam of the dough to close the roll.
Step 15 –Cut the roll into 12 slices.
Step 16 –Repeat the filling, rolling, and slicing process with the other half of the dough and the filling mixture.
Step 17 –Place all of the slices into the greased baking dishes, cut-side down. They should not be crowded in the pan, as they will grow into each other during the proofing stage.
Step 18 –Cover the rolls with a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place until they have doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Step 19 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 20 –Bake the rolls until golden-brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 21 –Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Step 22 –While the rolls cool, in a small bowl, beat the remaining softened butter until creamy.
Step 23 –Beat in the vanilla, the remaining water, and 1 1/2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar. Add in more of the extra confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, until you achieve the desired frosting consistency; it should be on the thicker side.
Step 24 –While the rolls are still warm, spread the frosting over the rolls.
Step 25 –Serve warm.
