Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns

This is a variation on my regular cinnamon bun recipe. 

*Start by saving leftover potatoes, cooking one small potato, and/or save the water potatoes are cooked in.

Ingredients for buns
2 cups warm milk (or warm, not hot, potato water)
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar

6-7 cups flour

1 cup mashed potato

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

Ingredients for filling

2 cups brown sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

Ingredients for icing

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 Tbsp heavy cream

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Combine milk (or potato water), yeast, and sugar, allow to proof. About 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, mix with dough hook for 6 to 10 minutes, until dough comes together to form a ball. Add more flour as needed, 1/2 cup at a time. The dough shouldn't be sticky when it's done.

Allow to rise in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes, until it has doubled in size.

I roll out half of the dough at once. Brush the dough with melted butter and cover with half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll dough along the long side. Cut with a sharp knife, at 1 1/2" intervals. Place 12 pieces into greased 9x13 pan. 

Place pans in a warm spot to rise. This may be as quick as 30 minutes. They will rise a lot more as they're baked.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

When buns are mostly cool, top with icing. 

Notes:

These buns freeze well.

I use homemade brown sugar, combining 1 cup white sugar with 1 Tbsp molasses.