If you know anything about me, you know that I bake cinnamon buns twice a year: Thanksgiving morning and Christmas morning. I grew up smelling the wonderful smell of a warm cinnamon bun only at the local mall or airport terminal. So as an adult, I became obsessed with figuring out how to make the best cinnamon bun from scratch. But only for special occasions, because if I did them all the time I wouldn't leave the house or do anything. Consider yourself warned.
If I'm honest, there's no way I'm getting up at 5am to start baking, unless it's because I'm on opening shift at Milk Bar. I make this recipe up to Step 8 the night before I want to serve it, then I wrap the baking dish full of dough in plastic and refrigerate it overnight to slow the growth of yeast in the fermentation process. I wake up and take the muffins out to room temperature while I make my cup of coffee, and continue to rise for two to three hours, then continue with Step 9.
Ditch the spatula and manual method and use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment if desired.
If the brown sugar goo is too loose, put it in the refrigerator or freezer. The butter will harden in a cooler environment, making it easier to spread without running. Alternatively, if it's too firm, microwave it for 10 second bursts until it loosens and is spreadable.
