Make the dough and first rise

1. Stir warm milk, yeast, and honey together in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture looks soft and foamy.
3. Add egg, melted butter, and flour to bowl. Stir until not quite combined, then add salt and mix until no dry flour remains.
4. Optional: Transfer dough to a large cutting board and knead with clean hands for 1-2 minutes, until dough is smooth (it should be tacky, but not sticky). Kneading this dough will make it a bit smoother, more elastic, and easier to roll out, but these cinnamon rolls taste great with or without this step!
5. Return dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let dough rise at room temperature for 1 hour. Note: This dough won't rise too dramatically - just look for it to puff up and smooth out a bit. 

Make the filling

1. Mix brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Shape the rolls and second rise

• When dough is risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured cutting board (if you kneaded the dough before it rose, you can usually skip the extra flour on the cutting board). Gently roll the dough out into a rough rectangle, about 8 inches long and 1/4 inch thick.
• Spread the melted butter evenly over the dough. Make sure you go all the way to the edges.
• Spread cinnamon sugar mixture evenly across the top of the buttered dough. Leave about 1/4 inch of space along one long edge to help the dough seal together when you roll it up.
• Time to roll! Starting on one long side, gently roll the dough into a log. Go slowly and roll the dough as tightly as you can without tearing it. When it's all rolled up, gently pinch along the seam to help the log stay together. The roll should be about 6-8 inches long; if it's too long and skinny, gently press each end in towards the center to squish it into the right shape.
• Use a sharp knife or a strand of dental floss to cut the dough into 6 equal pieces, each about 1-2 inches thick.
• Spread softened butter (or spray cooking spray) over the inside of a small baking dish. We used an 8-inch round ceramic pan here, but you can also use a square cake pan, small casserole dish, or a cast iron skillet. Arrange the cinnamon bun pieces in the pan, leaving 1-2 inches of space between them, then cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven. 
• Heat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Bake

• When rolls have risen slightly and the oven is hot, it's time to bake! Brush the top of each roll with a bit of heavy cream, then transfer the baking dish to the hot oven. Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes, until rolls have risen and just barely begun to brown. 
• Remove cinnamon rolls from oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before you prepare the frosting. 

Make the icing 

• Mix vanilla extract and cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. (We like to use a hand mixer for this, but you can also do it with a spoon or whisk and some elbow grease!)
• Add powdered sugar and stir to combine. Mixture will be a bit clumpy; that's ok.
• Add milk a Tablespoon at a time, stirring well between each addition, until icing is smooth and has reached your desired consistency. We like a thin, drizzle-able icing here, but you can make it as thick or as thin as you'd like!
• Spread icing over the cinnamon rolls. (We like to add the icing when the cinnamon rolls are still slightly warm, but you can wait until they've cooled completely if you prefer). Serve and enjoy!