Phenomenal Phoods

Milk Chocolate Macadamia Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk (it should be about 110 degrees, but I just warm it up until it feels slightly warmer than room temperature)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/4 cup sweetened (shredded coconut)

For the milk chocolate frosting:

• 3 ounces milk chocolate (melted)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

For the dough:

1. Combine the warm milk and yeast in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast. It will start to look foamy on top. You can also use rapid rise yeast and skip the activation step for this recipe.
2. Whisk together the milk/yeast mixture with the sugar, butter and egg.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
4. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise for an hour in a warm place. It'll be almost doubled in size. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough overnight if you want to bake them in the morning. Just take the dough out of the fridge about an hour before you want to bake them.
5. While your dough is rising, line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper. Use some butter or cooking spray on the bottom of the pan to keep the parchment paper in the pan.
6. Make your filling and assemble.

For the filling:

1. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.
2. Roll out your prepared dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a rectangle that is about 18 x 24 inches. It should be about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Spread the softened butter all over the dough in an even layer.
4. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture, macadamia nuts and coconut.
5. Starting on the long edge, roll tightly so that the seam is on the bottom.
6. Cut into 12 slices and arrange slightly apart in your prepared baking pan.
7. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let sit for 20 minutes. They should rise until the sides are just touching.
8. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned on top. You don't want them to feel doughy when you tap them or when you insert a toothpick. You can also go by temperature - they should be about 190 degrees F. on the inside. Frost immediately.

For the milk chocolate frosting:

1. Combine the cream cheese, butter and chocolate until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. If it is too stiff, add a little milk or water. If it is too runny, add more powdered sugar.
3. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls, sprinkle with more macadamia nuts and/or coconut, if desired, and serve immediately.