Alright. Take a breath. Don’t rush this — good things rise slowly.

Warm your milk, water, and butter in a little pot. Just warm — not hot. I learned the hard way that hot milk kills yeast. Sad, flat rolls. Don’t do that.

Now grab your bowl. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Pour in the warm stuff, crack in your egg. Stir. It’ll look clumpy and wrong at first. Keep going.

Knead a bit. You don’t have to go crazy — 3, maybe 4 minutes. When it feels smooth, you’re done.

Cover it with a towel and let it sit. One hour. Don’t peek. Let the yeast do its quiet magic.

(I usually clean up a bit here… or pretend to.)

Once your dough’s doubled, press it down — gently. It feels kind of alive, right?

Roll it out into a rectangle. Not perfect, doesn’t matter. Slather butter all over it, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon. It’ll look messy and that’s fine.

Now roll it up tight. The long way. You’ll get this soft, cinnamon-stuffed log. Try not to eat it raw (I always do a little).

Use a sharp knife or — seriously — dental floss. Slide under, cross, pull. Cleanest cuts ever.

Lay them in your greased pan, spaced a little apart. Cover again and let them rise for another 30–40 minutes.

If your house is cold, pop them in the (off) oven with just the light on. Works every time.

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 22–25 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the tops are golden and your kitchen smells like every cozy memory you’ve ever had.

If you’re like me, you’ll open the oven too early, burn your fingertips, and say “worth it.”

Mix your cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Stir till smooth — or don’t, a few lumps won’t kill anyone.

Spread it on the warm rolls. Don’t wait for them to cool; the icing needs to melt and drip into the swirls. That’s the good part.

Grab one, tear it open, steam pouring out, icing sliding down your fingers. That’s happiness.