In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Set aside

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 ½ cups lukewarm milk, 2 teaspoons of the sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast. Whisk together and let sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture looks foamy.

Add the remaining sugar, eggs, bread flour, butter, salt, half of the chai spice mix to the bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 6–7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Don’t worry if it’s too sticky it will be firm up.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, perform one stretch and fold (lift one side of the dough and fold it over itself, repeating on all four sides). Cover again.

Place the covered dough in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or up to 12 hours overnight. This cold proof develops flavor and makes the dough easier to work with when rolling out.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together brown sugar, the other half of the chai mix, ground cinnamon, (yes at the end of the day, these are cinnamon rolls) and unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Set aside.

Lightly flour a clean work surface. Roll the chilled dough into a large rectangle, about 12x16 inches in size. Try to keep the edges as even as possible so the rolls bake uniformly.

Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to get it all the way to the edges.

Starting with the long edge farthest from you, cut the dough into 12 even strips using a sharp pizza cutter. Each piece should be about 1⅓ inches wide. Take your time to keep the cuts straight so the rolls bake up evenly.

Working one at a time, roll each strip into a tight spiral, starting from the bottom edge and rolling upward until you reach the top. As you roll, gently tuck in any filling that tries to escape and keep light, even pressure so each roll stays compact and uniform. Once rolled, pinch the end seam lightly so it stays closed.

Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy lifting later. Lightly spray the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the prepared pan. 3 across and 4 down. They should have a little space between them — they’ll puff and rise into each other during proofing and baking.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise for 60-75 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.

Once the rolls have finished their second rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Warm the heavy whipping cream, cinnamon and cardamom just until it loses its chill (microwave for about 15–20 seconds). Mix with a fork. Gently pour the cream evenly over the tops of the risen rolls, letting it soak down into the layers.

Place the pan in the oven and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 30-35 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown on top. These rolls take a long time to bake because they need to absorb the cream.

If the rolls begin to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool for at least 20 minutes before frosting.

While the rolls are cooling making the cream cheese frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then beat for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar, then vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until combined.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2–3 more minutes until light and fluffy. If too soft to pipe, chill for 10–15 minutes.

Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly, spread the cream cheese buttercream evenly over the tops of the rolls. I did dollops with a piping bag for a pretty look, but you can do whatever you like!

Serve warm or at room temperature.