Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

I know the cinnamon roll is half eaten but it was so good I started eating it and forgot to take a picture. I also know you probably think that is and insane amount of frosting but I think you need a lot of cream cheese frosting with a cinnamon roll. It also looks like a lot because we always warm our cinnamon roll up in the microwave with the frosting on top so it melt and oozes down the sides. Yummm!! This recipe came from my mom. She use to work at a restaurant and she was the cook and made these and always got rave reviews and requests for these. I have never been able to make them taste as good as she does until now. It took me years to get it right but I finally did!!

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. butter~melted
2 T. yeast~I used instant if you do you mix the yeast with the flour before mixing with rest of ingredients
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups warm water

If using regular yeaast mix the above ingredients and let set until bubbly(about 10 minutes) If using instant yeast~mix the yeast with 1 cup flour and set aside. Place the above ingredients in your mixer and mix well. Add:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour with yeast in it
Plus 5 cups more flour
Mix until well combined and mixture is a soft dough. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let raise 1 hour or until double in size. While dough is raising, melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan then add 2 cups brown sugar to the butter and cook a couple of minutes until mixture is thick. Punch down and roll out into a rectangle. Spread the butter sugar mixture over the rolled out dough and spread evenly. Sprinkle with Cinnamon. Roll up the dough. Cut in even 1-2 inch rounds. Place in a greased pan~cookie sheet or 9x13 pan~so they are fairly close to each other. Cover and let raise until double in size~about 30 minutes. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.They will look like so when taken out of oven:

Frost them with cream cheese frosting:

2-8 oz each of cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter

2-4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract(my mom likes the lemon but I like vanilla)

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Add the sugar~I usually use 2-3 cups sugar because I like strong cream cheese flavor but if you don't then use the 4 cups of sugar. Add the vanilla. Frost your cinnamon roll place in the microwave for about 50 seconds or until frosting begins to melt. Eat with a fork!!