French Vanilla Chai Cinnamon Rolls

These little gems have become an obsession around my house since  I found this recipe online back around Christmas time, On The Frugal Foodie Mama.Yes I know its been 3 months since Christmas, it's just taken me this long to have someone leave them be long enough for me to take a picture of them. Even then I needed to take a picture of them with a friend of ours holding the whole batch that he promptly devoured all on his own.

This is Jay AKA Fate Fli
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So I have a bit of a small cult following when it comes to these yummy goodness all wrapped up in sweet cinnamon and sugar. It's really nice considering before these I could NEVER and I do mean never get a Cinnamon roll to work out. My sisters Fiancé laughed at me because he is from Georgia and even HE knows how to make a good Cinnamon Roll, his Mamie taught him when he was young.


I was really worried because this called for a box of vanilla cake mix. Yup I said it... boxed cake mix. So for me that is already disaster since I can never make anything out of a box... But let me tell you it really really works!! No one will ever know it started with a box mix!


So here is the recipe:




*Please note The original says it take 2 hrs. in total. I have only ever been able to do it in about 3-3.5 hrs.




Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 3/4 cups French Vanilla cake mix (about half the box of mix)
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 package of active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water

For the filling

• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup butter, softened

For the glaze

• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add the yeast to the warm water. Let sit until the yeast is dissolved.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, flour, and salt. Add in the yeast/water mixture & the vanilla and mix well.
• Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and then cover and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes.
• Spray an 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and the spices for the filling. Add in the butter and mix well. Set aside.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Once the dough has risen for the second time, turn out onto a well floured surface. Knead 5-7 times, and then roll out into a rectangle to about 1/4 inch thick.
• Spread the brown sugar/spiced butter evenly over the rectangle of dough.
• Starting with the bottom of the rectangle, roll the dough lengthwise into one long roll. Cut into 12 even slices.
• Place swirl side up in the prepared pan. Cover with the cloth and set on top of the warm stove.
• Allow to rise on the preheating stove for another 20-30 minutes.
• Once they have risen for the third time, bake for 15-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
• Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before topping with the glaze.
• To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth.
• Drizzle over the baked cinnamon rolls.
• Enjoy!
• ** If you need these for a larger crowd, you could use the entire box of cake mix& double the ingredients listed above. Using the entire box will make 2 dozen cinnamon rolls

Finished product! Enjoy!