Konie's Korner: Cinnamon Buns

Haha, if you look at the labels in which I've classified this recipe under you'd be laughing too: Dessert & Breakfast! Anyway, moving on...This recipe is one I always use, and by always I mean the one or two times a year I feel the need for cinnamon buns. Sorry, let me clarify, I feel the need for cinnamon buns more than once or twice a year but I can only justify them on those few occasions.

I wasn't as stuck on my last batch of these as I usually am, but ironically everyone else who tried them said they were the best ones yet. The only thing I did different was use my KA instead of hand kneading these. The recipe really was written to be made all by hand from mixing with a whisk to kneading by hand for ten minutes. I decided to speed it up a little this time and so these will be the directions I share because that will be how I make these in the future.

I am going to warn you, these do not taste like Cinnabon which is kinda unfortunate in a way because I like Cinnabon, but I guess it's probably an okay thing that they aren't so sickly sweet right??

The source for this recipe amazingly enough is my middle school home ec. teacher. Yes folks, I actually do use a recipe from that class (actually I use a couple of them still). This recipe though is the reason why yeast doughs never scared me like so many people I know. I always knew that if you could make a cinnamon bun work out and rise you could make a simple loaf of bread work.

Makes 12 Rolls (every single time, no matter what I do I always get 12 and if I double it I still get 24 exactly without fail)

Ingredients

Dough

2 1/2 - 3 C. Flour

2 Tsp. Yeast

1/4 C. Sugar

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1/4 Butter, softened

2/3 C. Hot Water

1 Egg

Rolls

Dough

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

2 Tbsp. Butter, softened

1/4 C. Raisins or walnuts (optional)

Oil

Icing

1 C. Icing Sugar

1/4 C. Butter, softened

1 Tsp. Vanilla

water or milk (very little)

Directions

Dough

~Combine 1 C. of flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir.

~Add butter, hot water and egg. Beat with paddle attachment for 1 minute or until thick and elastic.

~Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that leaves the side of the bowl.

~Knead for 5-10 minutes (by hand) or less if using a stand mixer.

~Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

~Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

~Roll dough into a 12" x 10" rectangle on a floured surface.

~Spread dough with butter (like you're buttering toast) and sprinkle with the sugar mixture and raisins or nuts if desired.

~Roll dough up tightly starting at the 12" side. Pinch the ends to seal.

~Cut roll into 12 - 1" pieces either with a serrated knife or dental floss (ideally).

~Place rolls into a greased baking dish (all 12 will fit in a 4 x 3 arrangement in a 9"x13" pan or for a better placement use round pans to give each roll a bit more space to expand)

~Brush rolls lightly with oil.

~Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for a couple of hours on the counter or overnight in the fridge.

~Preheat oven to 375 F and bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes (or until lightly browned).

~While baking, mix icing sugar, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add a small amount of milk or water and whisk out any lumps. If too thick, add more liquid. If too thin, add more icing sugar until you reach desired consistency.

~Spread icing on slightly warm cinnamon buns.

Enjoy