• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar, salt, and butter on medium speed with a paddle attachment. Whip in the egg and lemon extract.
• Mix the flour and yeast and then add the warm milk (between 120-130 degrees or whatever your yeast packet recommends). Mix on low speed until a dough ball forms.
• Intermittently scrape the sides of the bowl to get the flour well incorporated. Also, depending on the consistency of the dough, you may need to add a little bit of flour or lukewarm/room temperature water if it’s not forming a ball.
• Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium-high, mixing approximately 6 minutes or kneading aggressively by hand for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be a supple, tacky texture and should pass the “windowpane” test: take a small piece of the dough and gently stretch it so that you can see light pass through the more translucent area. Temperature-wise, the dough should be between 77-81 degrees F.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough, and roll it around to thoroughly coat with oil. Cover the bowl with a thin kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set the dough aside to rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until it doubles in size.

Make the Filling

• In a small bowl, mix the flour, salt, and cinnamon together. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and butter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, being sure to mix well.

Make the Frosting

• In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On a low speed, slowly add the powder sugar and beat until fluffy and the salt. Add lemon zest after the desired consistency is met. Spread on rolls once they’ve cooled for at least 10 minutes. My frosting recipe makes a large quantity. If you prefer a light coating, feel free to halve the frosting for this recipe.

Roll Out the Dough

• Transfer the risen dough to an oiled or lightly floured work surface or a silicone mat. Gently roll out the dough with a lightly dusted rolling pin. For large cinnamon rolls, you'll want a rectangle that’s about 14 inches wide by 12 inches long and 2/3 inch thick and to roll them short end to short end. For smaller, but more, cinnamon rolls, roll the long end to the long end.

Spread the Filling

• Spread your filling over the dough rectangle, leaving about 1/8 inch on the edges. Optionally sprinkle with nuts.

Roll and Cut the Dough

• Roll your dough like a large cigar log. Roll from long end to long end, using a pastry scraper as needed. Trim the ends neatly when finished.
• Cut the dough in even pieces with thin sturdy twine, a very sharp knife, or unflavored dental floss.
• You’ll cut anywhere between 8-18 cinnamon rolls, depending on the desired size. To get 12 large rolls, cut pieces about 1.5 inches in size.
• Once finished cutting, place the rolls in a greased 9x13 dish or a cookie sheet. (For smaller cinnamon rolls, an 8x8 dish will work.)

Proof and Bake the Rolls

• Let the rolls proof at room temperature for 1-1 1/2 hours with cheesecloth, lightweight cloth, or greased plastic wrap on top. The rolls are done proofing when they are almost doubled in size.
• After proofing, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place your rolls on the middle rack when it’s time to bake.
• Cook for about 20-30 minutes. Your tops should have a nice golden brown hue when done. If they start to brown too much before they are cooked throughout (internal register should be 205 degrees F), then cover with foil and check every three minutes.

Frost the Rolls

• Let the cinnamon rolls rest in the pan for about 10 minutes, then frost them with the cream cheese frosting. The frosted rolls should be refrigerated if not eaten right away.