Homemade Cinnamon Buns In About An Hour

This recipe is an excerpt from the latest issue of Let's Get Lost, a newsletter with recipes and stories from life on the road. To read the full issue, go to rebeccablackwell.com.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Our daughters spent a few days with us in Door County last week and we packed the days with as many fun activities as we could muster. One such activity was a glass blowing class, taught by a glass artist in his studio. It was even more fun than it sounds and we all came away with a beautiful piece that we made ourselves.

The class was scheduled for noon and I had my heart set on taking the girls to brunch that morning at a restaurant that won an award for their cherry stuffed french toast. Unfortunately, everyone on Door county had a similar idea and the wait for a table was more time then we had. Instead we headed to a little coffee shop near the water and ordered coffee, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches.

One of the pastries I ordered was a cinnamon bun and, while I am deeply devoted to my favorite homemade cinnamon roll recipe, I thought that it might be nice to have a recipe for cinnamon buns that you could make quickly when the craving strikes. This recipe is the result.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Start to finish, these buns will be ready in about an hour. They dough is basically biscuit dough - wet, sticky, and filled with butter. So, as you might imagine, the texture of these buns is very biscuit like - soft, tender, and very buttery.

The recipe calls for part all-purpose flour and part cake flour. The cake flour gives the buns an extra tender texture, but if you don’t have any cake flour just go ahead and use all all-purpose flour and you’ll be fine. Also, if you want the buns to have a bit more structure and not be quite so soft, omit the cake flour and use all-purpose flour only.

This recipe will make 12 large buns. If that’s too many, the recipe can easily be cut in half.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

For the filling:

• 4 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the buns:

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cake flour (or, another 2 cups of all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons table salt)
• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups/ 12 ounces) unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for brushing over the dough before adding the filling
• 3 cups buttermilk

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Three helpful tools to have near your work surface (if you have them): A bench scraper and a flat spatula are useful to help the dough unstick from your work surface, and to cut the rolls and lift them onto the baking sheet. You’ll also need a rolling pin.

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the filling: Add 4 tablespoons of butter to a medium size microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for a minute or so, until the butter is melted. Add the rest of the filling ingredients (1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt) and stir until everything is mixed together. Cover the bowl and set it aside.
3. Add 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups cake flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, and a tablespoon of kosher salt to a large bowl. Blend on low speed with an electric mixer (if using a stand mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment).
4. Cut 3 sticks of cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch cubes. With the mixer running, one handful at a time, until about half of the butter has disappeared into the flour and the other half is in pieces no larger than a pea.
5. Pour in 3 cups of buttermilk, blending on low speed until it’s completely incorporated. The dough will look very wet and shaggy.
6. Scrape the dough out onto a clean countertop that’s been dusted with some all-purpose flour. Use your hands to knead the dough (you’ll probably need to flour your hands) 6-8 times, until the dough is smooth and cohesive. Add more flour to the work surface if the dough is sticking. It can be helpful to use a bench scraper or spatula to unstick the dough from the countertop.
7. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle that’s approximately 18-inches by 12-inches. Dust the countertop and top of the dough with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking as you roll it out.
8. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave and brush it over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough, then use your fingers to spread it evenly over the dough, all the way to the edges.
9. Beginning with one of the long sides, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam together with your fingers and position it on the countertop so it’s seam side down.
10. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Use a spatula to move the buns to the parchment covered baking sheet.
11. Place the buns in the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake the buns until the tops are a light golden brown, about 22 to 26 minutes.
12. Set the baking sheet on a wire rack and allow the buns to cool for 10 - 15 minutes.
13. Make the cream cheese frosting: Add 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 4 ounces of room temperature unsalted butter, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until completely combined. Add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix on low speed just until the sugar is blended in to the butter and cream cheese. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for another 2-3 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy.
14. Slather the frosting over the top of the warm rolls and serve. Or, serve the frosting alongside the rolls, allowing each person to frost their own.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ rebeccablackwell.com

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

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