Mill your grain. Then warm the milk to no more than 110 degrees or until its warm to the touch but not hot.

To your mixer bowl add the warm milk, honey, eggs, salt, the fresh milled flour, and then the instant yeast.

Mix on low speed in a stand mixer. Once the dough starts to come together, after about 3-5 minutes, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough may separate, but it will come back together.

Knead the dough until a nice windowpane is achieved. Windowpane means that when you pinch and stretch a piece of dough, it is able to stretch thin enough to see light through it. This can take anywhere from 10-25 minutes depending on your mixer.

While your mixer is kneading, prepare the filling for the cinnamon rolls. In a small saucepan, put the filling butter, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom (optional). Warm on low heat just until the butter is slightly melted, and the ingredients blend easily but not runny. Set aside, until ready to use.

Once you have achieved a nice windowpane, it is time to roll out the dough. Lightly oil your work surface. I like to shape my dough into a ball first, this makes it easier to roll into a rectangle. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle. With the long edge facing you. Your rectangle should be roughly 18 inches by 14 inches.

Now that your dough is rolled out, it’s time to spread the filling mixture over the dough. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the filling mixture over the rectangle of dough. Leave 1/2 inch open at the top of the rectangle to be able to pinch the seem closed when we roll up the cinnamon rolls.

Starting on the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seem closed when you reach the end of the dough.

Use a knife to cut 12 1.5-inch cinnamon rolls. I like to mark where I’m going to cut the 12 cinnamon rolls before I make the cuts. Alternatively, you can use floss to cut your cinnamon rolls. If using a knife, make sure your knife is sharp. Cut with a gentle sawing motion instead of just pressing the knife down.

Place all 12 cinnamon rolls in a parchment lined baking dish. I prefer parchment paper over buttering the pan because the parchment prevents the outer edges from getting too dark. I’ve made these in a 9×13 and 10×14 baking dish. Both work well. Cover the cinnamon rolls with a lid or plastic wrap to rise. Allow the cinnamon rolls to rise for 30-40 minutes until they’re slightly puffy.

While rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make the icing by adding the softened cream cheese to your mixer bowl. Beat until creamy. Add the softened butter and beat until creamy and well incorporated with no lumps. Add a pinch of salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Mix well on medium-high speed until creamy with no lumps. Set aside until cinnamon rolls are done baking.

Bake cinnamon rolls at 350 for 25-30 minutes. To check for doneness, use a food thermometer to test one of the outer cinnamon roll's internal temperature. We want an internal temperature of 180-185 degrees.

While the cinnamon rolls are hot, evenly spread the icing over the cinnamon rolls with a spoon or spatula. Enjoy immediately!