Cinnamon Rolls II

Ingredients

 * 4 cups of white flour
 * 2 rounded Tablespoons of yeast
 * 1/2 teaspoon of salt
 * 1 cup of milk
 * 1/2 cup of sugar
 * 1/3 cup of melted butter or margarine
 * 2 eggs
 * 3 Tablespoons of melted butter or margarine
 * 1/2 cup of sugar
 * 3 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon
 * 3/4 cup of raisins (optional)

Directions

 * 1) Combine 2 cups of flour, the yeast and the salt. Warm the milk and dissolve the 1/2 cup of sugar in it. Add the milk, 1/3 cup of melted butter and the eggs to the flour mixture. Beat with a spoon for about three minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 6-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Turn once. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).
 * 2) Punch dough down. Divide into three equal portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
 * 3) On a lightly floured surface, roll a portion of the dough into a 12" x 8" rectangle. Spread over it 1 Tablespoon of melted butter. In a bowl on the side, mix the 1/2 cup of sugar with the ground cinnamon. Sprinkle a third of the cinnamon sugar over the dough. Sprinkle on a third of the raisins (optional). Roll up the dough from one of the long sides. (It should now be a "log" shape.) Slice the dough into 10-12 pieces. Place the rolls, swirl side up, in a baking pan or on a baking sheet, right next to each other. Cover and let rise until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes). Repeat with the two other portions of dough. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked and lightly browned on the bottoms.