Favorite Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

I LOVE Cinnamon Rolls

warm, gooey,
sugar and bread

covered in cream cheese frosting

I mean,

what’s not to like?

 

So for any birthday,

holiday, special occasion,

or any good reason I can think of

we make cinnamon rolls for breakfast

We have tried MANY different kinds

but this recipe

is the BEST of all we have tried

it is so good,

I am drooling

wanting to go downstairs

and eat another one

because there are still some sitting in my kitchen

from this morning

So here is the recipe

For Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

We originally got from

I really think it is the pudding that makes

ALL the difference

so soft and chewy

Mmmmmm…..

• 1/2 cup Warm Water
• 2 Tbsp active Dry Yeast
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 3.5oz package instant vanilla pudding – make according to directions on the package (be sure to refrigerate)
• 1/2 cup butter – melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 6+ cups flour (we always need at least 7 cups… but maybe it is because we live in the rainy NW?!)

 

 
• 1 cup butter, SOFTENED (or if you are like me, you forget to soften, so then I put it in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time, until soft and spreadable!)
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 4 tsp cinnamon

 

Frosting:

• 8oz Cream Cheese (I ALWAYS use the 1/3 less fat, and tastes GREAT!!)
• 1/2 cup butter – softened
• 1tsp Vanilla
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• Milk as needed

Directions:

Prepare the pudding mix according to the package directions and be sure to refrigerate until firm. Combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved.  Add the butter, eggs, and salt to the pudding – Mix well. Add the yeast mixture. Gradually add the flour. I personally use my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook for all off this – makes it REALLY easy to make the dough, and no kneading on your part! Add flour until it is smooth. It should be soft, and not too sticky. Cover and let it rise until doubled.

Roll out the dough on a WELL floured surface (I use my clean countertop) to 34×21 inches in size. Take the 1 cup softened, spreadable butter and spread it across the dough. If it is not soft, then the dough will tear. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the butter. Roll the dough very tightly. Cut 24 cinnamon rolls, or every 1.5 inches with a serrated knife. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until double

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they JUST start to brown. Frost with the Cream Cheese Frosting – just combine the butter and cream cheese, then add the sugar, and add milk until you get your desired consistency… ENJOY! 24 delicious rolls

We also freeze the rolls – we can’t eat 24 (ok… well we probably could, but it would not be a good thing! better to spread the love out!), so we freeze 12. To freeze, we let the rolls rise after they are shaped, then put them in the freezer… easy as that. We also have tried par baking them, or baking them about 5 minutes shy of done. That also works well, and then you just need to heat them up and your set! Take the rolls out the night before you want to eat them, so be sure they are defrosted before you bake them or heat them up! DELICIOUS!!!
 

*update* – I made this again this weekend… Sooo delicious. However, I actually used Butterscotch pudding instead of vanilla pudding. There wasn’t a huge flavor difference, other than a slight caramel like flavor in the background. It was good. So if you want to change it up a bit, try a different pudding in the dough 🙂