Lambie's Cinnamon Buns

I've had requests for Lambie's Cinnamon Bun recipe. The process is not fast, but so worth it. The heady smell of cinnamon, a light and fluffy texture bun, drizzled with a sticky, sweet icing. I'm  dying just typing this. The buns can also be made and left to rise in the refrigerator overnight. Then baked the next morning. Yield 12 buns

Dough

2 1/4 tsp yeast (1 packet)

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. milk, scalded

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter, softened

1 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp cardamon (optional, this is Lambie's secret ingredient)

3 1/2 to 4 c. flour

Heat water and milk in microwave and let cool (Temperature should be between 110 and 115 oF)

In large bowl add milk/water, yeast, sugar. Let stand until yeast is foamy

Stir in butter, egg, cardamon, and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth

Mix in enough remaining flour to make a smooth dough.

Knead 5 minutes.

Place in greased bowl, Cover, Let rise in warm place until double, 1 1/2 hrs.

Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.

Punch down dough

Buns (no need to measure the brown sugar, cinnamon, or nuts as much or as little as you like)

1/2 c. butter, softened

brown sugar (but if you need measurements, maybe 1/2  - 3/4 c.)

cinnamon (1 - 2 T.)

raisins, nuts, (optional, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 c. each)

Grease a 9 x 13 in. pan and set aside

Roll dough into a 15 x 9 in. rectangle on lightly floured surface (I pat it out with my hands)

Spread with butter be sure to leave a 1/2 in. or so border on all sides of the rectangle.

Sprinkle brown sugar

Sprinkle cinnamon

Sprinkle nuts, raisins, 

Beginning on 15 in side, roll up dough tightly

Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal

Cut into twelve 1 inch slices (You may end up with 15 buns)

Place slightly apart in greased pan. Pick up any cinnamon/sugar mixture that falls out and put on top of the buns. If you are baking the rolls the same day, skip the **** paragraph

****(If you want to bake these the next morning follow the overnight instructions from Alton Brown's Recipe:  cover buns tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. No more than. 16 hours. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator ( I loosened the plastic wrap) and place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3-full of boiling water and set on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy; approximately 30 minutes. Remove the rolls and the shallow pan of water from the oven. Remove the plastic wrap. Recipe for overnight method continues at ****

Cover, let rise in warm place until double, about 40 mins

Halfway through rise time, 

****preheat oven to 350 oF

Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 min. Cool pan on wire rack

Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

1  T. of milk (you can substitute eggnog or Half n Half for the milk if you like)

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

Mix sugar, milk, vanilla until smooth. Add a little more milk if necessary to make a smooth glaze.

Spread glaze on warm buns.

Enjoy!