tune 'n fork: Knotty Buns

Twist and Shout by The Beatles
This is the song that kept playing through my mind as I "twisted and tied" these cinnamon buns. It's just a matter of twisting the dough and, when they are done, there will be shouting! Oh, yes. You, and those with whom you may share these, will shout! Originally I thought about Chubby Checkers' The Twist. But the urgency in John Lennon's voice just begs me to choose him - er, them. I find this vocal to be a little out of character for Lennon's usual fare - think Imagine. I remember reading once that The Beatles had recorded Twist and Shout at the end of a strenuous day and his voice was shot. He gave it what he could. Ends up - even his last shreds of voice are pretty darn stellar. These cinnamon rolls are also a little out of character. But they are also pretty darn stellar.

I've been thinking I'm coming down with a cold the last few days. The sinuses are pounding - my teeth hurt. The usual. I've been craving comfort. No - not chicken soup kind of comfort. Sweet and chewy - "There, there, sweetheart. It'll be ok" kind of comfort. I really don't want to have a cold right now. Maybe it won't happen. I don't know. But I'll quit whining now so I can get on with sharing this great recipe - this sweet and warm cinnamon comfort.

I mentioned these cinnamon buns last December when I used part of its recipe in a marriage of recipes to make Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. In that post I had told about how we had visited my husband's cousin and his wife and she had treated us to my first memorable cinnamon buns.

I thought it was worth a trip back to that day so I could show you exactly how she made her own very unique version of this treat. I've never seen them done this way since - unless I'm the one making them, of course!

This is literally a hands-on recipe. You're gonna get in there and handle the dough. You're gonna get messy with butter and cinnamon and sugar. You're gonna LOVE it! Kids will want to help so decide, right off the bat, if you're gonna be up for this. Hint - let them! It's also great fun! So let's wash our hands and get to work!

Cinnamon Knotty Buns
makes 12
Printable Recipe Card
1 1/2 c. warm water (12 fl oz.)
1/4 c. sugar (50 g)
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 t.)
12 T. butter, softened (170 g)
1 egg
1/4 c. powdered milk (34 g)
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 t. kosher salt
5 c. flour (625 g)
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3/4 c. sugar (150 g)
3/4 c. brown sugar (165 g)
1 1/2 T. cinnamon
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2 cubes butter (227 g)

Frosting

4 c. powdered sugar

2 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. low-fat sour cream or plain non-fat yogurt

2 T. butter softened

1 T. vanilla extract

In a large mixer bowl, combine the warm water and sugar and give it a stir. Sprinkle in the yeast and give it another stir. Let sit for a few minutes.

In a separate bowl combine the powdered milk, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Whisk together.

The yeast mixture should be foamy now. This lets you know your yeast is good to go! Attach the bread hook to the mixer. Add the butter and egg and mix. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium high speed until ingredients come together and turn from raggy to just smooth - about 2 - 3 minutes. This is a soft dough. Spray another large bowl and transfer the dough to it. Turn the dough to coat with the spray, cover and let rest where it is warm for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile - make the frosting by creaming together the wet ingredients then adding the powdered sugar and mixing well. Then set up your dipping "stations." Combine the brown and granulated sugars with the cinnamon in one bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl.

Now, you know that nothing but good can come from a set-up like this, right?!

When the dough has risen for 45 minutes you have a couple options. You can just start grabbing handfuls of dough and estimate or you can turn the dough out onto a working surface lightly coated with spray or flour and divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Either way is fine, you just need to end up with 12.

Take your portion of dough and pull it into a rope about eight inches long.