This isn't quite your typical food blogger post. I have zero pretty pictures to go along with this post, however, so many asked for the recipe after seeing me talking about my cinnamon buns on my Instagram stories that I figured this would be the easiest route.
The recipe comes from an amazing cookbook my great aunt Betty Rockfellow put together. My mom has made these cinnamon buns so many times that I am pretty sure she has the recipe memorized. There are a few steps so bear with me. I promise all the effort is worth it.
Two Hour Buns
This Cinnamon Bun recipe actually uses a bun recipe for its dough. If you don't want to turn all the dough into cinnamon buns these rolls are equally as delicious.
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm water
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 6 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp or two packets of quick rise yeast (usually comes in a three-packet strip)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 7 cups flour
Instructions
Mix yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tbsp of sugar in a bowl. Let rise for about 10 minutes. In a large bowl mix eggs, 5 tbsps sugar, oil, salt, and rest of warm water (2 1/2 cups). Now add year mixture and then flour. Spray countertop generously with cooking oil (you can grease with butter too). Turn out onto a greased surface. Knead about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl (again I use cooking spray), turning once to grease top. Cover with tea towel and let rise for 15 minutes. Uncover and punch the dough down to release the air. Let rise another 15 minutes OR until double in size.
Buns
The are the instructions to continue with regular buns. Place balls in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Three across and four length-wise. If you are using an 8x8 or 9x9 you with do three by three. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. This recipe can be made into 2 loaves of bread as well. Note from Aunt Beatty: Jean found this recipe about 30 years ago. It is the only recipe I have used since.
Cinnamon Buns
Ingredients
- Filling Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups golden raisins
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 2/3 cup brown sugar
Note from Aun Beatty: I use the Two Hour Bun recipe to make my cinnamon buns. If you use the whole recipe it will make about 5 or 6 (9-inch) pie pans of buns. The above ingredients are for 1/2 of the bun recipe.
Instructions: If you are using the full dough recipe divide two into two. On a greased counter, roll dough into a rectangle about 8x30 inches. Onto the dough spread softened butter. You want your butter very soft so it spreads easily. Then cover with brown sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins. Starting on the long side of the rectangle, roll to the other side. Slice roll, cutting them about 1 1/4 inches wide.
Mix together the base ingredients and spread the desired amount of mixture into the greased pan. My mom and I don't use very much of the base mixture. Place bun slices in the pan. If you are using a 9x13 baking dish again do three across and four down, or if using an 8x8 do three by three. They will expand. Let rise until double (probably 30-45 minutes).
Bake in 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Be careful to not let the raisins burn. When cooked turn out leaving the sticky side up.
Whether you make the buns or the cinnamon buns both recipes freeze really well.