Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, heat the buttermilk until warm to the touch.

2. Pour the buttermilk and oil into the yeast mixture; mix well. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the liquid 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 20 times. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle. Spread the brown sugar and butter mixture over the dough, roll up into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Slice into 1 inch pieces and place cut side up in a lightly greased 10x15 baking pan. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

WONDERFUL!!! These cinnamon rolls were very quick and easy, the only changes I had to make were to add more flour (about a cup and a half or two cups) to keep it from being so sticky, and I added some cinnamon to the dough and about 1/4 cup sugar because I noticed the recipe didn't call for any. Also sugar helps the yeast proof faster. Since we love cinnamon, I put more into the brown sugar mix than the recipe called for. Also, I put them in the refrigerator overnight and they rose some, but not as much as I wanted so I let them rise in a warm place for an hour before I baked them. The baking time was only 14 minutes for mine, and the cinnamon rolls were so perfect and golden and ENORMOUS! This recipe made 18 enormous cinnamon rolls. I topped them with homemade cream cheese frosting, but I don't think they needed it because they were already so moist and soft and wonderful. I don't think they were cakey or biscuity at all. A couple tips: Warm the buttermilk over the lowest heat setting or it will start to curdle. Also, once you have your cinnamon roll log, stretch it out a bit if you need to to make it all the same thickness. And to cut them, get a piece of thread and put it around as much roll as you want to cut off.

I follow the dough recipe to the T, then vary the fillings. Mini chocolate chips with toasted pecans and a butter/cinnamon/brown sugar mix.  Make them at night, refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning for something that tastes like you spent hours and hours on it. Oh, and a note. If you warm the buttermilk too much, it curdles, but doesn't wreck it. Just stir with a wisk and dump it into the mixer. No worries!

These cinnamon rolls are easy to make with my dough hook in my Kitchenaid Mixer - they are light and fluffy. I make them into sticky buns by coating the bottom of the pan with molasses/pancake syrup/brown sugar - mixture of anything you would like. Turn them out immediately upon removing from the oven and they are heavenly. We have had raves about them.