So, I would be lying if I said I didn't love pastries. I am by no means a baker, but that doesn't stop me from hopelessly attempting to create a perfect pastry. One of my proudest successes was these Glazed Cinnamon Rolls from the American Classics Cookbook.

I love the weekends for 2 reasons. 1) It's the weekend, meaning I have all day to spend in the kitchen, and 2) It's the only time out of the week when I can take the time to experiment and prepare a special pastry.

There is something about the smell of cinnamon and cloves that warms your soul. It's like a warm blanket, embracing and wrapping around you; giving you a sense of security. For me, it brings back memories of the holiday season, where our house was always filled with fudge, cookies, cakes, and anything else that could be made from a little flour, butter, and spices. Even today, Christmas cookies are a must. For me, baking is the epitome of comfort and hominess. It has the ability to evoke such precious memories of home, times of celebration, and family.

During the week I spend my down time thumbing through cookbooks, in search for something to bake during the weekend. I always seem drawn to my American Classics cookbook. There is something about the simplicity and versatility of the recipes that I find appealing. They are solid, classic recipes which act as the perfect canvas for personal adjustment. I was wanting something hearty, and that spoke of home. What better to reflect these things than cinnamon rolls and coffee? The perfect combination! I had never made them before and was a little intimidated, but I was feeling overly ambitious and thought I'd give it a shot.

I started out with making the dough, which I found out that you can easily over-kneed it. Be stingy with the flour, only using enough to form a soft dough. Anymore and the dough will become too heavy and dense. I have a tendency to be very impatient when making any kind of bread, so this step was a test of patience for me. The dough didn't rise like it was supposed to, and by the end of two hours, it was only about a third of the size it should have been. I have to say, I started to get slightly worried at this point, but was determined to finish them. All I could do was hope for the best.

Rolling out the dough was about the easiest part of the whole process. I found that there is a trick to rolling the perfect cinnamon rolls. Quickly, I discovered that if you don't pinch the ends as you roll like it says to, you will end up scooping up half of your filling off of the counter. I found that the best method for cutting uniform rolls was using the dental floss as recommended in the recipe. Another key tip, make sure your baking dish is well buttered!! This is one of the most basic baking fundamentals, but definitely one that should not be ignored. I have learned this lesson the hard way. There was nothing left but to bake the delectable, doughy rolls. I crossed my finger, set the timer, and waited patiently. My batch took approximately 40 minutes to bake. They smelled and looked even better than I envisioned they would. After cooling slightly, the cream cheese glaze was applied. The real test however, would come when I cut into them.

The final step of the baking process, which just happens to be my favorite, is sitting down for the taste test. The dough was just the right density, slightly airy, while the filling left just a hint of spices to mingle on the palette. The glaze on top was not your typical thick, creamy glaze. It was thinner, with a mild level of sweetness. Just enough to counter balance the savory spice filling. I would suggest that if you prefer your glaze to be less sweet, decrease the powdered sugar from 1c to 3/4 cup, and also decrease the heavy cream to 1 tablespoon.

Recipe for Glazed Cinnamon Rolls

From American Classics

For the dough:

1/2 cup milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing baking dish

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 package (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) rapid-rise or instant yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg plus 2 large yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4-4 1/4 cups (20 to 21 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Filling:

1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. FOR THE DOUGH: Heat the milk and 8 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mixture is warm (about 100 degrees)

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the water, yeast, sugar, egg, and yolks on slow speed until well mixed. Add the salt, warm milk mixture, and 2 cups flour and mix on medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Switch to the hook attachment, add 2 cups flour, and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and freely clears the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a round, place it in a lightly greased large mixing bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave in a draft-free, warm spot until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

3. FOR THE ICING: While the dough rises, combine all of the icing ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend together on low speed until roughly combined, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and mix until the icing is uniformly smooth and free of cream cheese lumps, about 2 minutes. Transfer the icing to a small bowl and refrigerate.

4. TO ROLL AND FILL THE DOUGH: After the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, except for the top 1/2 inch of the dough. Roll the dough, beginning with the long edge closest to you and using both hands to pinch the dough with your fingertips as you roll. Moisten the top border with water and seal the roll. Lightly dust the roll with flour and press on the ends if necessary to make a uniform 16-inch tube. Use the softened butter to grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Cut the roll into 12 pieces using dental floss and evenly distribute the rolls, cut-side up, in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free warm spot until doubled in bulk. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

5. TO BAKE THE ROLLS: When the rolls are almost fully risen, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center of the rolls registers 185 to 188 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Invert the rolls onto a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Turn the rolls upright on a large servig plate, and use a rubber spatula to spread with icing. Serve immediately.