Pizza Dough Cinnamon Buns

**tammy8701** · 07-30-2008, 05:27 PM

Pizza Dough Cinnamon Buns
(makes 12)

Ingredients:
1lb bag pizza dough
Yummy

Filling:
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cubed and thawed to room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted* and cooled
1/3 cup jumbo raisins, soaked in hot water and drained
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Remove pizza dough from bag, cover with a clean towel and let it thaw to room temperature and puff slightly (1 - 2 hours). Meanwhile, prepare the filling: stir together butter, brown sugar, cooled pecans, raisins and cinnamon until well combined.

3. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Place pizza dough out onto a lightly floured surface (a Silpat or a non-stick silicone roll mat really helps if you have one) and roll into a large rectangle with a 1/4-inch thickness using a rolling pin. Spread evenly with filling, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll up the dough like you would a jelly roll. Trim off ends, cut into 12 equal slices, and line up in baking dish. Cover with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

4. Prepare the glaze by whisking all ingredients together and set aside.

5. Remove towel from baking dish, and bake rolls for 12 - 15 minutes, until golden. Remove rolls from oven, drizzle glaze evenly over rolls.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving, if you can wait that long!

*To toast pecans, either cook in a moderate oven (300 degrees Fahrenheit or so) until golden brown and fragrant or place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool.

Extra Tips:
-To cut 12 cinnamon buns evenly, start by slicing your jelly-roll in half and half again. Then, slice each quarter into 3 buns of equal width.
-You can change the filling to suit your taste; omit the nuts, add some nutmeg, substitute raisins for dried cranberries, soak your dried fruit in coffee, use chocolate chips -- whatever takes your fancy. As long as you basically stick to the ratios in the recipe you should be fine.
-If 12 cinnamon buns are too many for your household, you can go ahead and prepare the whole recipe but slice and bake the amount you'd like in a round pie-dish or brownie pan. Wrap tightly and freeze the remaining dough. Defrost, in the fridge, before slicing and baking the remainder later on.