Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Stir yeast into warm water.
Add yeast and beaten egg to sour cream mixture.
Mix in enough flour to create a soft dough.
Turn out on a floured counter and knead lightly for a minute.
Form into a ball and let rest for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll into a 13x9-inch rectangle.
Spread the dough with softened butter.
Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter, pressing in lightly.
Roll up like a jelly roll and cut in 12 pieces.
Place in a 13x9-inch baking pan that's been greased with butter or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Let rise until doubled - about 1-½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven.
Cover with icing while still warm.
Icing
Melt the butter.
Add the vanilla.
Stir in the powdered sugar until you have a thick icing.
Spoon onto the warm rolls.
Notes
Storage: Store, tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. After that they get stale.You can also store the unbaked cinnamon rolls for up to 24 hours before baking them. Follow the instructions as written to roll and cut the cinnamon rolls. Cover the dish or cookie sheet tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.Baked cinnamon rolls freeze well but I'd leave the icing off until you plan on serving them.Tips:
Wrap a piece of unscented dental floss around the cinnamon roll "log," pulling the ends in opposite directions (as if you were forming a tight knot) to more easily and quickly cut 'em!
Lukewarm water won't cut it—if you don't have a thermometer to test it, the water should feel comfortable enough to bathe in, but not scalding. If using active dry yeast, let it sit for about ten minutes between steps three and four.
If using instant yeast, you don't have to let it activate. So, just follow the recipe steps in order.
Let the dough rise in a warm place (like near your warm oven) for the best cinnamon rolls ever!
Roll the dough up starting with one of the long sides. If you roll it from one of the short sides, the cinnamon rolls will be larger and may take longer to cook.