I’ve been making a variation of these for years and they are spectacular. They’re a little bit more time-consuming than what I usually write about, but well worth the time involved in my opinion. I’ll give a few pointers for making the recipe easier as I’ve learned to cut a few corners.

Cinnamon Buns

• 1-1/2 packages dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 4 to 5 cups sifted flour
• melted butter
• brown sugar
• cinnamon

Vanilla Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Mom It Down!

Proof the yeast in warm water. Set that aside.

In a medium-sized bowl add the shortening, sugar and salt.

Scald milk. Add that to the shortening. Stir until dissolved. Let that sit until tepid.

Once it’s cooled, add proofed yeast, egg and flour. Stir that up until you can work it with your hand. On floured surface, work dough until it’s slightly sticky to the touch.

Let dough sit in well oiled bowl. Leave that for 1.5 hours. (I have cut this short at one hour and it seems to work.)

Later

Take your dough and work it into a big rectangle. Coat it with melted butter.

Add generous layer of brown sugar and sprinkle that with cinnamon.

Roll it up like a big jelly roll.

Snip with scissors.

Add each roll to a greased pan. Let sit for 30 minutes. (See “Overcoming Obstacles” for other options.)

When you’re ready to bake them, put them in preheated oven at 350 for 20 – 30 minutes.

While they’re baking, go ahead and make your frosting. Add everything to the bowl, stir it up, you’re done!

When the buns are finished, drizzle them with the icing. I usually add a small amount to the whole lot and let people add however much they want to their individual roll. It’s up to you!

Overcoming Obstacles

I’ve impatiently added the egg before the mixture cooled and it kind of curdled. I was worried about the final product, it was totally fine. So if this happens to you, don’t worry about it, just add the flour and go with it.

Some folks want them for breakfast but don’t want to get up at 5 AM in order to make them. Not a problem! Feel free to make the dough the night before, cut the rolls, cover them with saran wrap and refrigerate them overnight. You can even make the drizzly icing ahead of time and refrigerate it for later.

If you decide to make the icing the night before, store it in a tupperware container. The following morning, microwave it for 10 seconds. It should be easy to spread again.

Also, make sure you keep an eye on the buns while they’re baking. I have baked these in several different ovens and temperatures vary greatly sometimes. I would start checking them after 20 minutes. In one oven it took 40 minutes! I covered them with tinfoil toward the end so the tops wouldn’t burn. Just keep an eye on them.

Variations

I haven’t messed with these too much, but I bet nuts or raisins would rock. Just add them to the brown sugar mixture. As always, please let me know if you have questions or suggestions!

Original recipe taken from About.com.