Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick

1. Stir together milk, oil, and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a large, heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Stir frequently until it is quite hot and bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to lukewarm.
4. When the milk mixture is lukewarm, sprinkle the yeast over it and let it sit, undisturbed, for 1 minute.
5. Mix 4 cups of all-purpose flour into the milk and yeast mixture until there are no dry pockets of flour.
6. Let rise for an hour in a warm, draft-free place.
7. After an hour, stir in the baking soda, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/2 cup of flour until you have a cohesive dough.
8. Place pan in the refrigerator, lightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

To prepare the rolls:

1. Line 4 cookie sheets (or half sheet pans) with parchment paper, silpats or teflon baking liners (or grease the pans generously.)
2. Sprinkle a clean counter generously with flour.
3. Turn the dough onto the counter and pat into a rectangle.
4. Roll out into a long rectangle that is about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Pour the melted butter evenly over the dough.
6. Scatter the raw sugar evenly over the butter.
7. Sprinkle the ground cinnamon evenly over the sugar.
8. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly into a tube then pinch the seams to seal.
9. Use a bench knife or other knife to cut the dough into 1-inch thick slices.
10. Transfer each round to the prepared pans, being sure to leave 3-4 inches between each roll.
11. Carefully insert a popsicle stick or caramel apple stick into the side of each slice of dough. Gently turn the stick a little from side to side while pushing further into the roll. The stick should go almost all the way through stopping just short of exiting the other side.
12. Let rise for 30-40 minutes, or until puffy.
13. Bake for 18-20 minutes in an oven preheated to 375°F, or until the rolls are deep golden brown.
14. Cool on pans for 15 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. (See notes.)
15. When rolls are completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, warm milk, melted butter, and vanilla(s) until smooth. Serve the warm glaze with the cooled cinnamon rolls.

Notes

If you try to eat these off of the stick while still warm, they have a tendency to disintegrate. It’s best to serve them completely cooled with warm glaze for dip.