Cinnamon Buns, or is it Cinnamon Rolls or even Cinnamon Swirls?
Cinnamon buns are the ultimate comfort food. Soft fluffy cloud-like buns coated in cinnamon and a zesty orange cream cheese frosting. Absolute heaven in a bun that MUST always be served warm.
Why do they taste so good? The sweet cinnamon and sugar aromas that fill the kitchen when baking is simply irresistible. As soon as they leave the oven, I am willing the buns to cool so I can smother each bun with oodles of frosting. I add orange zest to the cream cheese frosting to add a burst of freshness in the rich cream – simply divine.
Do you say bun, roll or swirl?
All the above mean the same thing. Each of which is a sweet dough onto which a cinnamon-sugar mixture is sprinkled over a thin layer of butter. The dough is then rolled into portions and baked, creating swirls.
Storage, serving, freezing – Once baked the buns can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days. To serve, warm for 25 seconds in a microwave or pop them in a preheated oven for 5 minutes.
You can freeze the buns before the second proof. Once wrapped in cling film freeze the buns. Allow the buns to defrost and prove for 45 minutes before baking. You can freeze the buns once baked before you add the frosting. Cling film the tray and freeze the buns. Allow the buns to thaw naturally, add the frosting and reheat as stated above.
Now it’s time for you to pop on your apron and enjoy a great bake—enjoy!
Warm the milk in the microwave for 40 seconds then add the yeast and leave for 5 minutes to check the yeast is active, you should see bubbles forming in the milk and you will notice the smell of bread from the yeast.
Set up an electric mixer with a dough hook, if you do not have this then use a wooden spoon and manually stir the mix and knead the dough by hand.
Oil a bowl ready for the dough to prove in, also have a damp tea towel to hand ready to cover the dough.
Line a 9-inch cake tin with baking parchment ready to add the dough once it’s had its first prove.
Pour the milk and yeast into a bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg and yolk, the melted butter and sugar. Mix until combined. Add the flour and salt and combine with a dough hook for 7 minutes, the dough should form into a nice ball – add a little more flour if your dough is still sticky and knead this in by hand or by the electric mixer, until a nice ball is formed.
Transfer the dough into the oiled bowl and cover for 1 to 1.5 hours (depending on humidity and room temperature and cover with the damp tea towel.)
Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15 x 9-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter across the rectangle. Mix the dark brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl then sprinkle over the butter.
Roll the dough. I find it easier to roll the dough from the shorter side tightly as you can but with little pressure on the dough. Once rolled slice the dough into inch thick portions and place in the lined tin. Cover with cling film and a damp towel and prove the buns for another 45 minutes in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan. Remove the plastic wrap and bake. Check the buns after 15 minutes, being careful not to overbake the buns as you want the centre of each bun to be fluffy. Depending on the size the buns may need an extra 5 minutes.
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes then add the cream cheese frosting.
To make the frosting whisk the softened butter with the cream cheese then add the icing sugar. And orange zest and vanilla extract. If you would like your icing thicker, add more icing sugar and if you would like runnier icing add a little water. Spread over the cinnamon buns.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Warm the milk in the microwave for 40 seconds then add the yeast and leave for 5 minutes to check the yeast is active, you should see bubbles forming in the milk and you will notice the smell of bread from the yeast.
Set up an electric mixer with a dough hook, if you do not have this then use a wooden spoon and manually stir the mix and knead the dough by hand.
Oil a bowl ready for the dough to prove in, also have a damp tea towel to hand ready to cover the dough.
Line a 9-inch cake tin with baking parchment ready to add the dough once it’s had its first prove.
Pour the milk and yeast into a bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg and yolk, the melted butter and sugar. Mix until combined. Add the flour and salt and combine with a dough hook for 7 minutes, the dough should form into a nice ball – add a little more flour if your dough is still sticky and knead this in by hand or by the electric mixer, until a nice ball is formed.
Transfer the dough into the oiled bowl and cover for 1 to 1.5 hours (depending on humidity and room temperature and cover with the damp tea towel.)
Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15 x 9-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter across the rectangle. Mix the dark brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl then sprinkle over the butter.
Roll the dough. I find it easier to roll the dough from the shorter side tightly as you can but with little pressure on the dough. Once rolled slice the dough into inch thick portions and place in the lined tin. Cover with cling film and a damp towel and prove the buns for another 45 minutes in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan. Remove the plastic wrap and bake. Check the buns after 15 minutes, being careful not to overbake the buns as you want the centre of each bun to be fluffy. Depending on the size the buns may need an extra 5 minutes.
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes then add the cream cheese frosting.
To make the frosting whisk the softened butter with the cream cheese then add the icing sugar. And orange zest and vanilla extract. If you would like your icing thicker, add more icing sugar and if you would like runnier icing add a little water. Spread over the cinnamon buns.
Enjoy!
Recipe by Lucy Foley of Scrumptious by Lucy
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