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The very first thing you want to do is have everything ready. I like to do that with all my bread baking, be it cinnamon buns, breads, rolls or muffins.

You want to have on hand:

- large mixing bowl
- smaller mixing bowl
- rolling pin
- small/med cooking pot
- KA mixer if you have one or good strong arm muscles
- small bowl
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups

milk
water
sugar
yeast
butter or shortening
egg
salt
flour
brown sugar
cinnamon
corn syrup (optional)
icing sugar (optional)

This is the recipe I use, BUT you can use any cinnamon bun recipe.
This recipe is a Hutterite recipe taken from The Hutterite Community cookbook by Samuel Hofer.

Cinnamon Buns

1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. lukewarm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 c. butter or shortening
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
5 - 5 1/4 c. flour (I use whole grain flour, freshly ground)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. melted butter
2 tbsp. corn syrup (optional - I don't use it)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. water

Scald milk and set aside to cool to lukewarm. Dissolve sugar in 1/2 c. lukewarm water. Sprinkle yeast over liquid and let stand 10 minutes. Beat together butter, 1/2 c. white sugar, egg and salt. Combine with yeast mixture and lukewarm milk. Mix well. Gradually add flour and form a soft dough. Let rise in a warm place to double in bulk.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/3 c. melted butter; mix well and set aside.

Divide dough in two equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece out in oblong pieces 1/4 in thick. Spread evenly with brown sugar and butter mixture. Roll up like jelly rolls and cut in 1 in. pieces. Set on ends in buttered jelly roll pans. Let rise for 30 minutes, then bake 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees.

While buns are baking, prepare a light icing by boiling corn syrup, 1/4 c. brown sugar and 1/4 c. water for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Brush the tops of buns immediately with syrup. (This is optional - I use icing sugar instead.)

Yields: 2 dozen large buns or 4 doz. small buns.

First thing we want to do is scald our milk. Pour milk into your cooking pot and place on medium heat. Do not let it boil, but let it get to hot, where steam is coming off. As soon as you see the steam, take off your stove element and leave to cool.

tip - you can use 1% milk or powdered milk. I've even used canned milk (diluted 1/2 and 1/2) when I've been short on milk.

tip #2 - watch milk closely so that you don't scorch your pan. It will heat up quickly.

Lets look at the yeast. Always make sure you have fresh yeast. When purchasing yeast, I always purchase it in 2 lb. cans and I get it from the health food store. I always check the date on the can. You can do the same whether your yeast comes in jars or in packages, there should be a date on it.

Once you have the yeast, store it in your fridge or you can keep it in the freezer (although I never have). Make sure you take it out a couple of hours before using for best results.

tip - having fresh yeast will make your bread baking so much better. If you know your not going to use a lot of yeast over a period of time, purchase it in small packs. It is a bit more expensive, but well worth it. If your going to be using lots, then purchase it in bulk.

Now place your warm water and sugar in a bowl (I use a cereal bowl). Measure out yeast and sprinkle over the warm water and sugar. Let rise for 10 minutes and then stir with a fork. (Do not move the bowl until the yeast as risen.)

Beat together butter, 1/2 c. white sugar, egg and salt. Combine with yeast mixture and lukewarm milk. Mix well. Gradually add flour and form a soft dough, kneading for approx 8-10 minutes. Place in large mixing bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place to double in bulk.

tip - for kneading instructions, please see bread baking tutorial 101.

While your dough is rising, in a small mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/3 c. melted butter; mix well and set aside.

Once dough as risen, as in the following picture, punch down and place on lightly floured board or table.

Cut dough in half. Take your rolling pin and roll one piece in an oblong shape, about 1/4 inch thick. It doesn't matter if the shape isn't perfect (look at mine), thats what makes cinnamon buns so interesting.

Lightly butter, spreading over the whole area. Take your bowl with the mixture of brown sugar, etc. and spread over the entire area.

tip - you can also put in raisins or currents here if you so wish. (Dh doesn't like them so I don't add them.)

Your now going to roll this up like a jelly roll style, just like in the following picture. Take the edge on on side and flip it over.

Your now going to do the exact same thing with the other side. Once it is flipped over, pinch the edges just a wee bit, on top as well as on the ends.

Your now going to cut this roll before you do the other half. I mark off 12 with my knife and then cut. Once cut, place in lightly greased pan, as in the following picture.

Cover and let rise in a warm place, until double in size. It might take a bit longer than bread does to rise, but I like a nice size bun.

Bake at 375 degrees, for 30-40 minutes or until nice and brown. Watch that they don't burn.

It is now your choice has to what you put on top of your buns. You can mix the glaze up that I gave in the recipe or you can mix up icing sugar as you would for a cake and drizzle over the buns.

For the glaze you would do it when the buns come out of the oven. For icing sugar, you would wait until the buns are lukewarm and drizzle over them (you want the icing to go down in between the buns).