Christmas Tree Coffee Cake

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 4 -4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (2 ounce) can crushed pineapple in syrup, drained
• 11 red glazed cherries, halved
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

Recipe

• 1 in large mixing bowl throughly mix 2 cups flour, sugar, salt& dry yeast. set aside.
• 2 in small saucepan combine milk, water and butter.
• 3 heat to 130ºf (butter does not need to melt).
• 4 slowly add liquid to the above dry ingredients; beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
• 5 add egg and 1 cup flour.
• 6 beat at high speed additional 2 minutes.
• 7 stir in enough remaining flour to make stiff dough (approx. 1 cup).
• 8 cover tightly.
• 9 refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• 10 when ready to make rolls, prepare filling.
• 11 in large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla.
• 12 beat just until well blended.
• 13 stir in drained pineapple.
• 14 grease 2 large cookie sheets.
• 15 divide dough in half; keep one half in refrigerator while working with other half.
• 16 on lightly floured surface roll first dough half to an 11" x 10" rectangle.
• 17 spread with half of the cream cheese pineapple filling.
• 18 roll up on 11" side- pinch seams to seal.
• 19 cut into 1" slices and arrange in shape of christmas tree on cookie sheet.
• 20 cover lightly with plastic wrap.
• 21 repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• 22 let arranged slices rise approximately 1 hour in draft free warm place.
• 23 preheat oven to 375ºf- bake 15 minutes; cover with aluminum foil to prevent browning.
• 24 bake additional 5-10 minutes.
• 25 remove from oven and allow to cool.
• 26 place cherries, cut side down in center of each roll.
• 27 combine powdered sugar with milk and drizzle over the rolls.