Mom's cinnamon rolls

Today Christy called for mom's cinnamon bun recipe. One memory of mom that we all seemed to cherish was coming home to the smell of mom's cinnamon buns. Not only did they smell good but they were delicious. My mom was a fabulous baker. I have been making them for awhile and I feel like I have finally gotten them ALMOST as good as moms. I miss my mom so much--but somehow I feel closer to her when I do the things she used to do. It's almost like she's along side me working along with me. It may sound strange but I am trying to do as many of the things she did so I can feel her close to me. Well, here's the recipe.

Cinnamon buns(aka rolls for my American friends)

This is also what she used to make dinner buns

5 cups of water--as hot as comes out of the tap. It loses heat when you put it in your cup and into the bowl so it's a good temp once you put in the yeast.

2tbs yeast

1 cup suger

mix a little and let stand a few minutes

add 1/2 cup powdered milk(optional)

2tsp salt

1 cup melted margerine or butter

4 eggs

6cups flour

mix well

side note: in my research I have learned that it is better when baking if your ingredients(ie eggs) are at room temp.

Switch to kneading attachment on your mixer, add 8 more cups of flour and knead for 10 minutes. Dough should be soft.This is the tricky part. You should be able to handle it easily with floured hands. Set the dough in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled. Then flour your surface. I like to flour my hands to make it easier to handle. You want to handle the dough gently at this point and divide into two chunks. Put one on your surface and roll out into a long rectangle. Mom melted butter and spread it on the rolled out dough. Then she would sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on it--and sometimes raisins for dad. Then roll it up and pinch the seam together. Mom's trick was to use dental floss to cut the rolls. She would slide it underneath and then pull across to cut the dough. (a demonstration might be needed) Place on a buttered cookie sheet and let rise again--about 1/2 hour. Bake until light golden brown.

An alternative for the filling that I have been doing is 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar and cinnamon creamed in the mixer. Spread on--i'm not exactly sure on the proportions cause I don't really measure so you can adjust it.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter (softened)

vanilla

about 4 cups icing sugar

milk until the consistency you like--thick or glazier--whatever works. It usually gets glazy on the rolls cause they are warm. I like to let them cool for awhile before I frost them.

You can make this a cream cheese frosting by adding a package of softened cream cheese.

Enjoy and share!!