Start by warming your milk until it’s just warm to the touch (around 110°F – if it’s too hot, it’ll kill the yeast). Pour it into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it gets foamy – this tells you your yeast is alive and ready to work.

Add the flour one cup at a time, stirring between additions. The dough will start shaggy and slowly come together. Once it becomes too hard to stir, turn it out onto a floured surface.

Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it feels smooth and elastic, and if you poke it with your finger, it slowly springs back. If it’s sticking to your hands, dust with a little more flour.

While the dough rises, mix your softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until it forms a spreadable paste.

Once risen, punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a roughly 18×12 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly across the surface, going right to the edges.

Cut the dough into 12 strips lengthwise. Each strip will be about 1½ inches wide. Take one strip and twist it several times, then tie it into a loose knot, tucking the ends underneath. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips.

Cover the knots and let them rise again for about 30 minutes. They should look puffy but don’t need to double in size this time.

Preheat your oven to 350°F while the knots are doing their second rise.

Mix both sugars and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Have your melted butter ready in another bowl.

Right before baking, carefully brush each knot with melted butter (they’ll be soft, so be gentle), then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Really pat the sugar mixture on – you want it well coated.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the knots are golden brown and feel set when gently pressed. The sugar coating will have formed a slight crust. You might see some butter bubbling around the bottom – that’s perfectly normal.