Pour the warm milk into the mixing bowl of your mixer and sprinkle the yeast over it. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt and melted butter and add everything to the milk and yeast. Mixing with the dough hook of your stand mixer (or dough hooks of a hand mixer) on low speed, gradually add the flour and mix just until all of the flour is incorporated. Then turn off the mixer and allow the dough to rest for five minutes so the flour can absorb the liquids.
Knead the dough with the dough hook of your stand mixer on medium speed (speed 4 on a KitchenAid) for 5 minutes, with dough hooks of hand mixer 7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead the dough for 10 minutes.
Cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm area for 30-60 minutes just until doubled. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or the cinnamon rolls will be airy/fluffy (more cake-like).
While dough is rising, in a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Grease a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with butter and set aside.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and knead a few times to knock the air out of the dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a large rectangle of about 12x15 inches (30x38 cm). Spread softened butter over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter. Starting on a long side, tightly roll dough into a large cylinder. Cut 12 equal pieces from the dough with a sharp knife and place in the buttered baking pan, cut side up and equally spaced apart.**
Allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Warm the cream (it should be neither refrigerator cold nor hot) and slowly spoon the cream over the risen rolls, allowing it to absorb into the swirls. It’s ok if there’s a layer of cream in the bottom of the pan.
Bake the rolls for 20 minutes. If after about 12 minutes of baking, the rolls are browning nicely on top, reduce baking temperature to 350°F (175°C) for the last 8 minutes. Remove rolls from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan on a wire rack. I like to cut the rolls apart and in doing so, I can check if they're done. If there's raw dough sticking to the knife, the rolls go back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes.
While the rolls are cooling, prepare frosting. Whisk frosting ingredients in a bowl until creamy.
Serve rolls warm, with frosting on top. Cooled rolls may be warmed in the microwave on high for 30 seconds and they will taste just like freshly baked. Store cooled rolls tightly covered at room temperature for up to two days. Store leftover frosting in the refrigerator.
Notes
*Or Easy Vanilla Glaze: 2 cups (220g) sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 6 tablespoons heavy cream. Whisk ingredients together, adding more cream if necessary to reach desired consistency.**If making ahead, at this point, you could place the rolls in the refrigerator overnight and allow them to come to room temperature and rise the next day, then spoon cream over the tops before baking as above.Recipe adapted fromTastes of Lizzy T.