Cinnamon Rolls, really good Cinnamon Rolls

So I have FINALLY mastered a Cinnamon roll recipe. I have tried many many different recipes, but this is it! Also, the frosting I use on these is so flipping good it's a wonder how any ever makes it on the rolls.
I don't have a bread machine. It's on my Christmas list that I'm sending to Santa. But there's a lot on my list, so if I don't get one there's always next year. I don't mind doing it the old school way. And that's just how this recipe goes.


You'll need:
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup softened butter, unsalted
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 egg
1 cup warm milk
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
1 pkg. (.25 oz.) active dry yeast

filling-
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
Mix the butter, sugar, and cinnamon, and set aside.

frosting-
2 oz. cream cheese
7 tbsp. salted butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. milk
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 sp. salt

To get started, Dissolve the 1 tbsp. sugar in the warm water, along with the 1/4 butter. Add the yeast and set side.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the pudding mix, egg, and milk. Stir together. Add the yeast mixture (once it's foamy) to the pudding mixture. One cup at a time, mix in the flour. Mix just until a ball has formed. It will be a little sticky. If it's too sticky to handle, add a little more flour. I then remove the dough, and in the same bowl, I drizzle in some oil. Place the dough back in the bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
I've made these a lot, and when I made them this weekend, it was extremely humid out, and so it took my dough more like an hour and a half to rise. Just keep that in mind, if you're making these when it's humid.
Once the dough is doubled, roll it out onto a floured surface. You want a rectangle shape, about 10x17 inches. Spread the filling all over the top of the dough, going as close to the edge of the dough as you can. Sprinkle with raisins. Starting on a long side, roll the dough up into a long log. Slice into 12 rolls (about an inch thick). Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover with a towel again and let rise until doubled, about 45 min.
Preheat oven to 350.
Once they're risen, bake for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them, everyone's oven is different. Mine bakes fast and high.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting.
Beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and milk, then gradually mix in the powdered sugar and salt until smooth and fluffy. Spread over rolls.

Enjoy!!!