Cinnamon buns
This Cinnamon buns recipe is built around unsalted butter, and it comes together in about under an hour from start to finish. Sweet without being heavy, it works just as well for an afternoon treat as for dessert. Read through the tips before you start — a couple of small details go a long way with this one.
- Level Hard
Ingredients
- 100 g Unsalted Butter
- 200 ml Milk
- 1 tsp Salt
- 250 g Flour
- 250 g Strong White Flour
- 1 ½ tsp Fast action yeast
- 1 tsp Cardamom
- 1 Tblsp Caster Sugar
- 2 Egg
- Olive Oil
- 75 g Unsalted Butter
- 100 g Caster Sugar
- 2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Egg
Method
- In a small saucepan heat the butter, milk and salt until the butter is melted. Allow the mixture to cool until it is lukewarm.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flours, yeast, cardamom and sugar until combined.
- Make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Pour in the lukewarm milk mixture and stir everything together to form a sticky dough. You may have to use your hands as the dough becomes stiffer.
- Oil the work surface with a teaspoon of olive oil. Turn the dough out onto the oiled surface and knead vigorously for 5–8 minutes, using a plastic scraper as needed to prise the dough from the work surface. Don’t be tempted to add flour, as this will make the buns dry and tough. Keep kneading until the dough is considerably less sticky, smoother and more elastic.
- Shape into a ball, and put into a large, greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place to prove for an hour, or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, for the filling and topping, mix the softened butter in a bowl with half the sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Use a fork to mix the sugar and spice into the butter until it is completely combined.
- Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside.
- When the dough has risen, turn out onto a floured work surface and gently roll out into a 36x24cm/14x9½in rectangle. Spread the cinnamon-sugar-butter evenly over the dough with a table or palette knife.
- With the longest edge closest to you, roll the dough up into a cylinder. Cut into 12 even slices.
- Place each slice onto a flattened out paper cupcake case on a baking tray, or into a greased muffin tin. (Baking in a muffin tin will make your cinnamon buns taller and domed.)
- Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside to prove again for 30–45 minutes, or until risen.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
- Brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg and dust liberally with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 12 minutes until the buns are dark golden-brown. Enjoy warm with a cup of coffee.
Tips for the best Cinnamon buns
- This is a 13-step recipe, so set up your workspace in the order the steps use it.
- Use a kitchen scale for the dry ingredients if you have one — baking is less forgiving than cooking.
- Preheat the oven fully before anything goes in — a cold start changes the texture.
Variations
- Vegetable boost: stir in a handful of spinach, peas or diced peppers in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Swap the egg for silken tofu — keep the cooking time similar and check for doneness.
- Fusion twist: keep the method but swap the spices for your own favourites — the Norway base takes well to it.
Serving ideas
Dust with icing sugar just before serving and pair with coffee or tea.
Storage
Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week. Most versions freeze well for 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make Cinnamon buns ahead of time?
Yes. It actually improves after a few hours, so make it earlier in the day and reheat gently before serving.
What can I substitute for unsalted butter?
Any ingredient with a similar texture and cooking time works; see the variations below for ideas. Keep quantities the same and adjust seasoning at the end.
Is this Cinnamon buns recipe hard to make?
It is rated hard: 14 ingredients and 13 steps. Follow the order and the tips above and it is very forgiving.
Recipe data via TheMealDB — source
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