For Jeanette, in plenty of time for the Super Bowl:
My folks had a bakery when I was growing up, and Saturday afternoons through
to Sunday mornings were spent making cinnamon rolls for the after-church or
Sunday brunch crowds. What we did was roll out the dough just as you did,
then slather on either melted or very soft (my preference) butter. Sprinkle
evenly with cinnamon, until the dough is cinnamon-colored. Then a generous
layer of brown sugar, dark brown for truly sticky buns or light brown which
makes them a tad more civilized. Sprinkle on walnuts and/or raisins, finish
the way you described, maybe cutting them a bit thicker, 1 - 1 1/4 inches
would be fine.
My current favorite way to make the rolls is to add the raisins to the
dough. I usually plump them in water or o.j. to cover, then bring just to
a boil in the microwave, then let them cool. If you think of doing that
soon enough, you can drain them, saving the liquid, and use that liquid in
the dough.
I hope this is near what you are looking for. Keep experimenting! You get
to eat the results until they are perfect, and then all the bread-bakers out
there are invited to Jeanette's for tea!
-Virginia