Yeast Dough and Cinnamon Buns

So I wanted to make some yeast rolls today. This isn't something that I do often and I don't exactly have a great recipe for them yet. I did find a simple yeast dough recipe and altered it a little to suit my taste. I did everything as I thought I should and my yeast rolls turned out okay. Not the best, but okay. A little heavy for me really. I had a lot of dough from this recipe and did not need that many yeast rolls so I said to myself, "Self! Let's make some cinnamon buns." So we  umm...I did! Mini ones at that and surprisingly enough they were AWESOME. Might I even dare to say a close runner with the all time favorite CINNABON. Okay that's a little stretch.  I love CINNABON!!!
Here's how it all breaks down....

Yeast Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups hot water (not boiling. This will kill the yeast)

1/2 cup butter (melted)

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold water

2 (.25oz.) pks active dry yeast

6 cups AP flour

2 eggs

Directions:

Combine the hot water and butter together then add your sugar and and salt and stir well.  Add the cold water and yeast and stir to dissolve (about 5 minutes)

Add 3 cups of flour and mix until well blended. 

Add the 2 eggs and the remaining flour and mix until completely combined.

note: I did all of this in my Kitchen Aid mixer and then transfered the dough to a greased glass bowl and turning to coat the dough.

Fill a pan with hot water and place it on the bottom rack of cool oven. Place the bowl of dough above the pan and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size. This is called proofing.

Once the dough has doubled in size punch it down, cover and let it double in size again. About 30 minutes for this second process.

For the Cinnamon Buns:

1 stick butter (softened)

4 Tbs. Cinnamon

1 1/2 c.Brown Sugar

Nuts (if desired)

2-9x12 Baking pans

Parchment paper

Cooking Spray

In small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well.

Spray baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.

On a generously floured surface, turn out the dough and sprinkle with flour. Knead the dough about 9 or 10 times and form a round or an oval in my case of the the dough.

 Separate the dough in half. You will have two batches of cinnamon buns. 

With one half of the dough, begin rolling it out into a rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick. (mine is not but I wasn't going for perfection here.)

Once you have your rectangle. Brush or spread on about 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick of the softened butter.

Spread 1/2 of the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the dough.

Begin rolling the dough up into a log shape as pictured.

One you have the log shape you are ready to cut. Use a sereated knife for this process. Make your cuts about 1 inch apart to form these mini buns or a little larger if you like.

Place the buns in the baking pan about 1/2 inch apart.

Cover and set aside while working on the second pan.  Repeat the above process.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake your cinnamon buns for 30-40 minutes.

Glaze:

1 stick of butter (softened)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

3-4 Tablespoons milk

Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together until creamy. Add the milk a little at a time for an easy spreading consistency.

After your buns have cooled for about 10 minutes in the pan, spread the glaze over top.

You can serve these warm or even cooled down. I am eating them while posting this recipe with my morning coffee. :) It's great to have leftovers!

YUM!

YUM!

YUM!