Blueberry cinnamon rolls with lemon-cream cheese icing

Adapted from this recipe from carnal creations blog.  I followed the recipe, except for changing the lemon glaze to a homemade cream cheese icing with fresh lemon juice and zest whipped into it.  But next time I'd love to try the lemon glaze, because it sounds really good too. Very refreshing and the perfect compliment to the sweet blueberries.  We took the extra cinnamon rolls and froze them individually to enjoy them over the next several weeks, but if you have a big family they may be gone in one sitting!

Ingredients

For the dough:
• ¾ cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees
• 1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 4¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
For the filling:
• ¾ cups packed light brown sugar (don't use dark, it will be too heavy a molasses flavor)
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon zest (from one lemon)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
 
Icing
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from one lemon)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. To prep:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, shut off. Line the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Grease foil or parchment paper and sides of the pan. You can also use a round 9" cake pan like I did, but you'll need at least two of those if you go that route. Also, grease a medium bowl to hold the dough when it's completed.

2. For the dough:

Whisk heated 110 degree milk and yeast in liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs and vanilla extract. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. I added my butter in 4 second intervals. Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes. if after mixing for 10 minutes the dough is still too wet and sticky, add up to ¼ cup flour (one tablespoon at a time) until the dough releases from the bowl. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm turned off oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. I usually turn my 200 degree oven off as soon as I put the dough in to rise to jumpstart the yeast.

3. For the filling:

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl using a fork or your fingers to break up any large lumps. Turn dough out onto very lightly floured surface (I never sprinkle flour down before rolling because there's so much butter in this dough it never sticks, but everyone's work surface is different). Roll dough into 16-inch square, spread with 5 tbsp of softened butter, and sprinkle evenly with filling. Lightly press the filling into the dough. Evenly sprinkle the blueberries and lemon zest over the filling. Starting with the edge nearest you, roll dough into tight cylinder, pinch lightly to seal seam, and cut into 8 pieces using either a serrated knife or bench scraper. It's easier to cut the dough in half, then cut each side in half until you have 8 large rolls. For smaller cinnamon buns, cut the dough into 12 pieces. Transfer pieces, cut-side up, to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. For the icing and to bake:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk softened butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, cream cheese, and confectioners’ sugar in medium bowl until smooth. TDiscard plastic wrap and bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is melted, about 25 to 35 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes then ice rolls before serving warm.

*Make Ahead: After transferring pieces to prepared pan in step 3, buns can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 24 hours. When ready to bake, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Remove plastic wrap and continue with step 4 as directed.

*Reheat any leftover rolls in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds.

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