Cream Cheese Cinnamon Bars

After seeing so many recipes with crescent rolls online, I figured it was time for me to make a batch of the dough in my bread machine, as the tubed crescent rolls are overpriced for my grocery budget.  I have always loved these bars.  My mechanic at Aspen Auto Clinic get these goodies today, as they take care of my car.  I love that the dough recipe gives me 32 rolls, equivalent to 4 tubes at the grocery store; what a savings!  I have part of dinner worked out with the remaining dough. :)  The recipe for the Cinnamon Bars is adapted from The Recipe Link.  I also love that this recipe has half the cream cheese of other recipes; now I don't have to go buy more cream cheese, just to make this work.

Ingredients:
2 tubes crescent rolls (or 1/2 homemade dough)
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter melted
cinnamon and sugar mixture


Directions:
As stated earlier, I used the homemade dough.  It should be separated into half.  You will only use one of the two halves.  Just halve one of the halves for the crust and the top layer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 pan with a nonstick cooking spray.

Smooth out dough to fit inside 9x13 pan.  It was pretty easy stretching it as for "pizza crust."

Whip together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  Spread over the the dough evenly.

With the remaining dough, place over the cream cheese.  Pour the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Bake in oven for about 25 minutes.  The toothpick should come clean when tested in the middle.  Cool before cutting.

Bread Machine Crescent Rolls

Crescent rolls are one of my most favorites breads, but I don't eat them often.  Was going to buy some to save some time.  But, had some sticker shock when I saw $1.79/8 rolls for store brand!  Decided to make some instead.  I am really glad I did, too.  Got 24 rolls from this one recipe!  That feels good.  Plan to use this recipe for any future recipes calling for crescent roll dough.  The recipe is adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup water (warm)
1/3 cup milk (warm)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1/3 cup margarine
3 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
3 tbs melted margarine

Set your bread machine to the "dough" cycyle.  In your bread machine, add both the warm water and milk, eggs, margarine, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add more flour or water, if needed, to get a soft dough.   Once cycle is complete (about 1 1/2 hours later), punch down dough and let rest for 10 minutes; it may rise more if you wait longer than 10 minutes...no worries.

Divide the dough into thirds.  Roll the ball out on wax paper and some flour to about 12" in diameter.   Smear a tablespoon of melted butter/margarine over the dough.  Use a pizza cutter to get 8 slices.  Roll from the end to the middle for each piece.  Continue with the remaining two balls of dough.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Place the crescent rolls on parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a warm oven.  

Let sit covered with wax paper over for about 20-30 minutes, until doubled in size.  

Remove rolls from oven.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake uncovered for about 7-8 minutes.