5.1.13

Cinnamon buns recipe and photo guide


Cinnamon is one thing I just can't get enough of. It's such a staple ingredient for me that I actually start to feel a little panicky if I know I don't have much left in my baking cupboard. True story.

I first tried cinnamon buns when I was staying at my aunt's house in Boston one Christmas. I was 16 and had  avoided cinnamon buns as I don't like raisins in cake (and the buns in the UK always seem to have hidden raisins in them). My aunt had a box of cinnabon buns with extra frosting as a Christmas treat and ever since my first taste - I've been hooked!



I've been making these buns for years now and it's a tweaked version of the world famous Cinnabon. I use my own frosting recipe and make the dough in the bread maker and then do the rest by hand. You can also freeze them after the 2nd proofing and bake them from frozen which is fantastic if you know you're having guests as they look so impressive and taste DIVINE!

I've included the notes on how to make them by hand too.

Dough:

  • 250ml warm milk (I prefer whole milk warmed until hot to the touch in the microwave)
  • 2 medium eggs, room temperature
  • 75g unsalted butter, melted
  • 600g strong/bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons quick yeast I use one sachet of instant yeast)

Cinnamon filling:

  • 225g dark brown soft sugar
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg (brings out the cinnamon flavour)
  • 75g unsalted butter, melted

Cream cheese icing:

  • 100g cream cheese, softened
  • 50g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2-1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar

1. Place ingredients for dough in the pan of the bread machine. Select dough cycle; press Start. Once cycle is finished, place dough in a greased or floured bowl and leave covered until doubled in size.

2. After the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3. Roll dough into a rectangle - approx 18-20". Spread dough with melted butter using pastry brush and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 slices using a very sharp knife.


4. Place buns in a lightly greased 9x13" baking tin; if you don't have a rectangle tin you can also arrange them in 2 x 8" round or square tins just assemble them within a few inches of each other as they cook best when they're side by side. Put in a warm place and let rise until nearly doubled (approx 1hr). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160c.

 

5. Bake buns in preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they can brown quickly. While buns are baking, beat together cream cheese, 50g butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt. I like to add a small amount of lemon or vinegar to give a nice acidic taste to the frosting which cuts through the sweetness of the buns and icing.

6. Once baked, remove from oven and leave to cool in the baking tray. I turn the tin upside down on a baking tray so the cinnamon filling goes back into the buns but this is due to my cinnamon addiction ;) Spread icing on warm rolls before serving or reheat each roll in the microwave for approx 10secs before serving as they taste divine warmed up.

Dough by hand: Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl. The yeast should start to activate by bubbling straight away, if this doesn't happen check the date on your yeast as it's important to ensure it's in date or else you're buns won't rise. Mix in the sugar, butter, salt and eggs. Add flour and mix well. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Follow the recipe from step 2 onwards.

2 comments:

  1. Have you ever tried the fanous "Sticky Buns"? They are to die for!

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    Replies
    1. Oooh, no! I'm gonna have to hunt out a recipe!

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