Epic Cinnamon Buns Recipes

OOEY-GOOEY CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cup flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• While dough is rising, melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/2 cup pecans; set aside. Melt remaining butter; set aside. Combine remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, and cinnamon; set aside.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll into an 18x14 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, leaving 1/2 inch border uncovered; sprinkle with brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Starting at long side, tightly roll up, pinching seam to seal. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. With serrated knife, cut into 15 pieces; place cut side down, in prepared pan. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Scrape remaining filling from the pan onto the rolls.

ALMOST-FAMOUS CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don't stir). Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla.
• Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary.)
• Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Roll out the dough, fill and cut into buns (see Cook's Note). Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; place the buns cut-side down in the pan, leaving space between each. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325.
• Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl, then whisk in the cream and melted butter. Transfer the buns to a rack and spoon the glaze on top while still warm.

BEST EVER CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, and let stand for 3 minutes. Add cake mix, 1 cup flour, eggs, oil, and salt; beat well. Stir in remaining flour until a soft dough forms.
• Knead on well floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the dough surface. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Punch down, and divide into two equal parts. Roll out each section on a lightly floured surface. Spread each with softened butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll up like jelly rolls and cut buns 1 1/2 inches thick with a piece of dental floss or a dull knife. Place in greased baking pans, and allow to rise until doubled.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, combine confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, vanilla, and milk. Remove baked buns from oven and drizzle with frosting.

GLAZED CINNAMON-CARDAMOM BUNS

Steps:

• For the Dough:
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over low until just warm; an instant-read thermometer should register 105°F-115°F. Pour into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in yeast and let sit until foamy, 10-15 minutes. You should see a layer of foam on the surface; this means that the yeast is active.
• Add egg, egg yolk, flour, granulated sugar, cardamom, and salt to yeast mixture and mix with dough hook on low speed until well combined. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Gradually add butter 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing to incorporate slightly before adding more. When 6 Tbsp. butter are incorporated, mix until dough is smooth, supple, and shiny, 10-15 minutes longer (you need to mix this long to develop the gluten).
• Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down, cover bowl tightly in plastic wrap, and chill overnight (the slow proof creates more flavor because it gives the yeast more time to process the sugar).
• For the Filling and Assembly:
• Mix butter, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a medium bowl until combined.
• Have your tools and filling nearby; you want to work quickly and keep dough as chilled as possible to make rolling more manageable. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and roll to a 1/4"-thick rectangle, about 16"x12". Cover with plastic and chill until dough is firm, 30-60 minutes.
• Spread butter mixture over two-thirds of dough. Fold plain side over the middle, then fold opposite third over (like folding an envelope). Roll to a 12"x8" rectangle about 1/2" thick. Slice lengthwise into eight 1"-thick strips.
• Working one at a time, lay strip on clean work surface with long side facing you. Using your palms, gently twist each end in opposite directions until entire strip is spiraled. Hold one end of strip between a thumb and index finger. Working away from you, tightly wrap strip around 3 fingers. Wrap around fingers again, placing second loop closer to the palm of your hand. As you bring strip across the back of your hand, cross over first loop, angling toward the end of your index finger. Cross dough over front of your hand and tuck the end into the center while removing your fingers and pushing through to the other side to create a knot. Check out step-by-step photos here. You want to twist these tightly so that they rise while baking. If you're having trouble, twist them into any kind of knot that you can-just make sure it's wrapped tightly.
• Divide cinnamon twists between 2 rimmed baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Bake cinnamon buns, rotating pans from top to bottom halfway through, until deeply golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
• Bring remaining 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Generously brush syrup over hot buns. If you like a sweeter pastry, wait 5 minutes, then brush again.
• Do Ahead: Buns can be made 2 days ahead. Tightly wrap with plastic and store at room temperature.

QUICK AND EASY CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave.
• Lightly grease a large baking tray with the extra butter.
• To make the glaze, mix 3 tablespoons of the melted butter in a bowl with the icing sugar and vanilla paste. Add the boiling water and 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk and stir to combine. Cover and chill.
• To make the cinnamon filling, mix 3 tablespoons of the melted butter with the cinnamon, mixed spice and both types of sugar. Add a pinch of salt, then stir the mixture together until it resembles wet sand. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl and add a generous pinch of salt. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the remaining melted butter and the rest of the buttermilk. Stir with a rubber spatula until fully combined. The dough might seem dry, but keep stirring until the dry ingredients absorb the wet - the dough will be shaggy, not smooth, at this point.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes. When ready, the dough will look smooth and have a slight shine, and you will feel it is more elastic. Flour the work surface again and pat the dough out to a rough 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in) rectangle. Sprinkle the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a rough 1 cm (½ in) border. Press the filling into the dough. Roll up the dough lengthways up as tightly as you can, to form a long sausage shape. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
• Transfer the buns to the prepared tray, cut-side up, leaving about 2 cm (¾ in) between each. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed up, golden and sticky. Cool for 30 minutes, then remove the glaze from the refrigerator and spread over the buns. Serve immediately or let the glaze set.
• Make ahead
• Make the glaze first and leave it to stand in the refrigerator. As the glaze cools, the butter begins to set and thicken, so it resembles a cream-cheese frosting. Make the buns a day ahead and reheat in the oven without the glaze.
• The shortcut
• No yeast translates to 1 ½ hours of your life back. You're welcome. Pat the dough out; don't bother dirtying your rolling pin.

SHORTCUT CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl stir together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon. Into a large bowl sift together flour, remaining tablespoon granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. In another small bowl whisk together egg and 3 tablespoons milk and add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
• Transfer mixture to a lightly floured surface and gently knead, 3 or 4 times, until it forms a dough. Pat dough into a 10- by 6-inch rectangle (about ‚ inch thick). Brush dough with some remaining milk and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar. Beginning with a short side, roll up rectangle to form a 6-inch log and cut crosswise into 4 pieces. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet, cut sides up, with seams touching. Bake buns in middle of oven until pale golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes.
• In another small bowl stir together confectioners' sugar and water until smooth and drizzle over warm buns.

WORLDS GREATEST NO FAIL CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Combine potatoes, potato water, butter, sugar, salt and hot water in large mixer bowl. Stir until butter melts; set aside and let cool. Combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl. Add eggs, 2 cups flour and yeast mixture to potato mixture. Continue adding flour, 1 cup at a time until soft dough forms.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 4 to 6 minutes), OR knead with electric mixer using dough hook. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place about 1 hour, until doubled.
• Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Spread with half the butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half of the mixture over surface. Roll up tightly, sealing edges. Cut into 12 slices. Place in greased 13 x 9-inch pan.
• Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes.
• Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over rolls.

EPIC CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Start the dough at least 4 hours before you want to be eating these or plan to start it the night before and do the first rise overnight in the fridge. Mix warm milk with honey and yeast, set aside for 5-10 minutes until it starts bubbling suspiciously.
• Mix 3 cups flour and salt, add margarine, eggs, and yeast mix all at once. Stir until a very soft dough forms. Knead in last cup of flour a bit at a time until you have a soft dough that's not terribly sticky. Cover with a dish towel (or plastic wrap if going in fridge overnight) and leave in a warm place until double its size.
• In the meantime make the filling by stirring all filling ingredients together. If it's too stiff you can warm a bit, but it should not be a liquid.
• Roll out risen dough into a rectangle about the size and shape of a cookie sheet, around 1/4-12 inch thick. Spread with filling.
• Roll length-wise into a big jelly roll and cut into disks about an inch or 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Place in a lasagna pan so that when they double in size again they will be touching. This keeps them soft and gooey. Let rise.
• Either while they rise or while they bake, make the icing. Again you can warm a bit if it's too stiff, but it shouldn't be a liquid.
• Bake buns at 350°F for 20-30 minutes or until just starting to colour. They should not be too crispy or dried out.
• Cool, then ice in the pan. Cut apart carefully.
• They are best warm, so attack them now or reheat in the microwave later. "Flash freezing" means freezing in a single layer, usually uncovered, until just solid, then packaging for longer term storage.