Cinnabon is one of the few things I'm possibly capable of eating until I puke. Dang, that stuff is good.

I'm sure the secret ingredients are something like high fructose corn syrup and crack.

good one NM.lol

Here's a link to one of the Cinnabon "make your own" recipes, with comments to suggest where tweakings could happen. The one I tried was directly from rec....recipes, and called for even more butter.
The cream cheese icing would be much richer.

Another tweak would be the use of a 'fancy' cinnamon.
I've started buying spices from Penzey's and they are so fresh and have so much flavor, I won't buy any from the grocery store any more. (Their Chinese 5-spice and their ground cumin, their Grenada nutmegs, their vanilla beans...well, you CAN see the beginnings of a food spice retrying of bland recipes beginning, can't you?)

Here is a link that might be useful: a cinnabon recipe.

OT, Ann, Penzey's is another "addiction" you just won't be able to stop! Oh, but also check the prices at Penn Herb (pennherb.com), that's where I get my vanilla beans. I liked it better, though, before they got so big, they used to have all of the herbs in the retail store on 5th St. in Philly.

Y'all DO grate your nutmeg fresh, right (Ann, I KNOW that you do!)? There is no other way, trust me!

I'm still afraid of yeast doughs!

Diane, I'm not afraid of yeast but those rolls are a lot of ingredients. I LOVE fresh nutmeg. It's almost a perfume. Here's an idea for carrots.
Slice into 1-2 inch strips, not too thin
parboil them for 4-5 minutes
in a sauce pan, flat like a skillet, melt some white sugar, 2-3 tsps. and some melted butter, maybe 2 tlbs.
Add some fresh grated nutmeg and carrots and warm through. Good way to get kids to eat carrots too.
I will check out pennherb, thanks Diane

Carla

Yeast doughs used to be a nightmare for me. Our old houses have never held temperatures particularly well and the top of the refrigerator or the top of the hot water heater weren't warm enough for yeast to rise (or if they were warm, cat hairs would be that hidden seasoning element.)
Then we got a bread machine. And I use it a lot to make dough and that takes it through the first rise and then I can do the second in the bread pan/baking sheet (Pizza), muffin tins, or whatever.
In spring and fall I can use the kitchenaid mixer and get good dough. But summer heat and winter cold winds...bread machine is super important.

Other problems: I think a lot of yeast that's sold is past its useful life; not just the date stamped on the packet but the yeast may have been overheated so much as to kill it before it gets to us. I buy the large two packs of yeast at Sam's and give one away. And I do know a lot of folks who bake.
Second problem for me was I didn't think bread flour could be that important. It is. And the speed at which the texture develops comes with using bread flour. (I know a couple of bakers who use regular flour and love to knead bread and even one who buys gluten and adds it to 'regular' flour.)

Right now I'm working on what for me will be the ultimate raisin bread. No burned raisins from their being in contact with the bread tin. Cinnamon and raisins in a near perfect swirl in the loaf. A nice rich bread made with an egg, and a little bit of care. Pepperidge Farm: eat your heart out.

Yum, yum yum. Ann, that sounds like a very fulfilling endeavor... yum. I'm still no good at yeast... temperature issues, I know.

Thanks for the spice vendor tips!!! I got a spice grinder with fresh cinnamon Christmas before last, and it shouldn't be called cinnamon anymore but something grander and cozier and perfect... I've never put cinnamon on so many things, lol.

Carla, I'm no help on cinnamon buns. Except that those frozen ones with the orange icing have the best icing in the world! If anyone can mimic a recipe for that icing, I'd be a happy camper.

Any other Must Be Orange cinnamon-bunners here? I could eat a dozen!