Sticky Buns (Cinnamon buns)

Making these is never a quick and easy job but some things are worth waiting for and these are worth waiting for!  I grew up calling cinnamon buns "sticky buns" since this is my Great Grandmothers recipe and that is what she called them, we will stick with that!

Sticky Buns

Ingredients

1 cup warm water

2 tsp sugar

4 1/2 tsp of active dry yeast

1 cup very hot milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

6 tbl shortening (I use vegetable oil)

2 eggs

6 cups white flour

Mixture for inside

brown sugar

cinnamon

raisins (optional)

butter/margine

Instructions

1. Mix warm water, 2 tsp sugar and yeast and let stand 10 min till frothy
2. Heat milk till hot and add the rest of the sugar, salt and shortening and let cool so it is not hot to touch
3. Add milk mixture to the yeast mixture
4. Then add eggs and 3 cups flour and mix till smooth, then mix in remaining 3 cups flour
5. Mix till the dough is smooth and elastic
6. Put in a greased bowl and let rise till doubled, about an hour
7. Punch down dough and let rest for 15 min
8. Roll out dough till it is about 1/4 inch thick remembering you are going to roll it up into a tube, so if you can try to make it more rectangular in shape
9. Spread butter/margin on top of the dough
10. Generously spread brown sugar on the dough
11. Sprinkle cinnamon to your tasting
12. Put raisin's on top of that to your liking 
13. Here is the time to have some fun....start rolling gently on the side that is the longest of the rectangular, turn in the edges gently to prevent the filling from falling out.  Stretch the dough a bit towards you as you roll.  
14. Cut your ciniamon buns into 1.5 - 2 inches slices and place on a baking sheet or any oven proof baking dish (make sure they are all gently touching each other)
15. Let rise till doubled in size approx 1 hour
16. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 min, till they are brown 

* These are best straight out of the oven but a quick warming up the next day or the day after has these buns tasting just like they came out of your oven.
* I have also substituted 50% whole wheat flour with success