Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Yesterday morning I filled in for an early morning seminary class and I got to do two things I absolutely love: teach and make treats. I remember going to early morning seminary and I used to love it when the teacher would bring treats. So I knew I had to do the same thing to sweeten the pot for the juniors and seniors I was going to teach. I saw these cinnamon roll cupcakes a few days ago and knew they’d be perfect to bring to class because they are so much more portable than regular cinnamon rolls because they’re baked in cupcake liners.

Yum!!!

I love the organic shapes the rolls form into.

My favorite one; it sort of looks like a rose.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Dough

2 1/4 t or 1 packet dry active yeast

1/2 C granulated sugar, divided

1 C warm milk (approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit)

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 C butter, melted

1 t salt

4 C bread flour

For the Filling

1 C brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 T ground cinnamon

1/3 C butter, softened

For the Icing

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2/3 C butter, softened

1 1/2-2 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in the warm milk in a large bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes until foamy.

Mix in the eggs, butter, salt, and other 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Add flour and mix until well blended and the dough forms a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead about 5-10 times. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about one hour).

After the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners, and lightly spray over the top of them with cooking spray.

Roll dough into a 12x22 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 24 rolls using dental floss or a pastry cutter. You may have to unroll each roll and re-roll in order for the dough to fit in a cupcake tin.

Place each roll in a cupcake liner. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Alternatively, allow to rise overnight in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Let rolls cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, mix cream cheese and butter using the whisk attachment of a mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar until desired consistency has been reached.

Makes 24 rolls.

Source: Adapted from Pink Parsley