You can use a simple bread dough recipe for cinnamon buns, but you won't want to after you use the baker's secret: sweet dough. This recipe makes two batches; one for sticky buns another for orange buns. Makes two batches in a 9X13 pan.
Ingredients
6-7 cups all-purpose flour, DIVIDED
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp salt
4 tsp instant yeast
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg
Instructions
Please read my Tips and Tricks below.
In a large bowl combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Blend well. In a small pot heat to 120-125F: water, milk, and butter.
2. Now add warm liquid and one egg to the flour mixture. Blend on low speed with paddle until moistened; then beat 2 to 3 minutes at medium speed. Now by hand stir in 3 cups flour until dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
3. On a lightly floured surface knead in 1 to 2 cups of flour until dough is smooth and elastic about 10 minutes. Pinch the dough in your hands if its very sticky; keep kneading. Don’t overdo flour. Grease your hands if need be.
4. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size. Give it the finger test. If you poke it and it stays. It’s ready.
5. Punch the dough down and remove all the air now divided in half shape and use. Here is a recipe.
Note: You could take half of the dough before shaping and refrigerate overnight for use the next day.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
High sugar doughs take longer to rise; quite a bit longer.
You don't need to proof dry yeast, unless you are unsure if it's viability. You can add it dry ingredients like instant yeast per King Arthur's flour. Who knew? They do!
Instant yeast reacts best at 125F. Regular dry yeast likes 110F.
I put my egg in a cup of warm water for 5 minutes to bring up to temperature.
Set a timer--you likely think you've hand kneaded for a long time--you haven't. Trust me.
High sugar doughs turn brown quickly. Keep a watchful eye.
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