Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls

Christmas breakfast at my house will more than likely consist of fudge, cookies, and eggnog cinnamon rolls. The best eggnog cinnamon rolls, ever, to be exact. The perfect way to start your Christmas morning after spending the previous days running around like a chicken with it's head cut off...

Sweet, soft, gooey, cinnamon-y, eggnog cinnamon rolls with a warm, gooey eggnog icing. Mm, mm.

Even if you aren't the biggest fan of the taste of eggnog, you'll love these!

Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls

Author: Herbivore Haven, Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Makes: 16 rolls

Ingredients:
Cinnamon Rolls:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 small packet)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup room temperature eggnog
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 egg
• 4 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 1/2- 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (separated)

Icing:

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons eggnog
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, place the yeast and brown sugar. Add the warm water and gently stir. Let the mixture sit until the yeast is foamy on top, about 10 minutes.
2. To the bowl, add the melted butter, warm eggnog, vanilla yogurt and eggs, mix until combined. Add in the flour, salt and vanilla extract. Knead the dough until the dough is smooth and forms a ball, about 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl spray the bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the dough rise in a warm area for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. (I preheated the oven to 150 degrees, shut it off, and put the dough in the oven to rise).
3. Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with 3 tablespoons of butter.
4. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle (about 9x24 inches). Spread about 6 tablespoons of the melted butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon filling evenly over the butter and lightly push the mixture into the butter. Starting with the long edge closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it tight as you roll. When you reach the end of the dough, pinch along the edge to seal. Cut slices with a knife, or place the dental floss under the roll about an inch away from the very end of the roll. Take the ends of the floss in each hand and wrap them around the roll. Keeping the ends of the floss in each hand, don’t let go and then tighten the floss so it starts to cut through the roll. Again, don’t change hands. Tighten until the floss comes out and the individual roll is separated. Cut the roll about every inch.
5. Place the rolls in the buttered pan about 1/2 an inch apart. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until the dough is doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the remaining butter on top of each roll. Bake the rolls at 350 for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
7. In the meantime, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Whisk until it's creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Add the eggnog and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Drizzle the frosting on each warm roll. Enjoy!