COOK: My Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

My pastor's wife is a fabulous cook, and one thing everyone knows she makes well is cinnamon rolls. A couple of months ago I asked for her recipe, and she told me it was one she had contributed to our church cookbook several years ago. It was in the cookbook as a dinner roll recipe, and she had modified it to cinnamon rolls. (It's Beth's Buns for anyone who has the cookbook).
This is the recipe as it is in the cookbook:

Scald 1 3/4 cups milk until it has a thin, milky scum on top. While milk is scalding, mix 1/4 cup warm water and 2 packages of yeast and a pinch of sugar. While this is foaming up, mix together in a big mixing bowl 1 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add hot milk. Add 2 cups flour and 2 eggs; mix. Add yeast (which has foamed up to around 1 cup). Add 4 more cups of flour (sticky consistency). Place dough on well-floured counter top and knead more flour in until it forms a smooth ball, about 10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, grease top and cover with lid. Let double in size, 1 hour or so. Punch down. Pull off pieces and stretch dough around itself to make a ball. Place 12 in greased 9x13-inch pan 1-2 inches apart. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and tops are golden brown. Yield: around 2 dozen rolls.

The modifications for cinnamon rolls:
After the first rise, punch down and divide dough into 2 parts. Roll one part out to a large rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up, starting with the long edge. Cut into 12 rolls and place in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Repeat with second half of dough. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Spread with frosting or powdered sugar glaze if desired. Yield: 24 cinnamon rolls

This dough is just wonderful to work with. I like to mix up the dough, let it rise, cut into rolls, and then put the pans in the fridge overnight. Then I take the pans out in the morning and let them come to room temperature, then bake.