With fall coming, what better way to celebrate the start of the season than with fresh homemade cinnamon rolls?

Cinnamon rolls make a great quick breakfast with coffee, a brunch item on the weekends or simply hot out of the oven just because.

Even if you haven’t ever baked anything with homemade dough and yeast before, this recipe is simple, delicious and great for fall, holidays and actually any time of the year.

With a few pantry and refrigerator ingredients you may have on hand or can easily find in the store, making and baking fresh cinnamon rolls is fantastic at home as a wonderful treat.

Fresh Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Flour Custard (Prior to making dough)

3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons of water

5 tablespoons of whole milk

In a small heavy saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Don’t brown this mixture.

Place the cooked mixture into a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until the flour custard comes to room temperature.

Cinnamon Roll Dough

4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup of whole milk, brought to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (Test with a kitchen thermometer)

¼ of a cup of sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

2 ¼ teaspoons of SAF instant yeast (best results)

1 teaspoon of fine salt

In your stand-up mixing bowl, place in your flour custard with all of your Cinnamon Roll Dough ingredients except for the salt. Knead, on lowest speed, with the dough hook until the dough comes together. This would take 2-3 minutes. Then add the salt and knead on medium speed for about 5-6 minutes. The dough should stick slightly to the bowl and be smooth.

Place your dough into a lightly-greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap but not too tightly for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until doubled in size. A warmer room is best.

Filling

1 cup of light brown sugar, packed

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature

4 teaspoons of cinnamon

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons of whole milk or heavy cream, room temperature

While you are letting your dough rise, cream together all of the ingredients for your “filling” and then set aside.

Cream Cheese Glaze

1 ½ cups of confectioner’s sugar

2 ounces of cream cheese

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened

1-2 tablespoons of milk (You don’t want the glaze too runny so test this)

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Whisk all glaze ingredients together except for the milk or cream. Add the milk or cream last, watching not to make the glaze too runny. Cover and set into the refrigerator until ready to use.

Butter a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. When your dough is ready to form the rolls, sprinkle your counter surface lightly with flour.

Dump the dough onto the floured counter. Roll the dough out to about a 10 x 14 rectangle. Spread all of your filling mixture evenly onto the dough except for the side closest to you. Leave about an inch without filling. This is the longer side. Starting from the side farthest from you, roll the dough onto itself to meet the side closest to you. Pinch to seam together.

Cut cinnamon rolls into 12 even roll pieces. Place the rolls into baking pan. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, about an hour to an hour and a half. The last half an hour before your cinnamon rolls are ready to bake, preheat your oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven. They should come out of the oven lightly browned. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Then put your cream cheese glaze on to your liking.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (www.escoffier.edu). She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef and pastry chef at Ateira’s on First. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.