How to Make Cinnamon Buns
Rolled up with cinnamon sugar, these soft, sweet buns are true classics that are at their best fresh out of the oven.
Bake a batch of yeasty, pillowy buns with a sticky honey schmear and drizzled with a sugary glaze just after baking.
Ingredients
Dough:
1 cup water
3 cups bread flour
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened at room temperature
¼ cup powdered milk
5 teaspoons sugar
1 ounce fresh yeast (or 2 ¼-ounce packets dry yeast)
1 ¾ teaspoons salt
Honey Schmear:
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon water
Bun Finish:
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
Start the Dough
In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the ingredients for the dough: 1 cup water, 3 cups bread flour, 5 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, ¼ cup powdered milk, 5 teaspoons sugar, 1 ounce fresh yeast (or two ¼-ounce packets dry yeast) and 1 ¾ teaspoons salt. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and mix for another 6 minutes.
Test the Dough
To see if the dough is ready, stretch a small piece of dough between your hands into a thin sheet and hold it up to the light. If you see a web-like pattern, the dough is developed; the webs are the strands of gluten. If you do not see them, mix the dough at medium speed 2 minutes more, then test again.
Let the Dough Sit
Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare the Honey Schmear
In a mixer, mix ¾ cup packed light brown sugar, 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon water and mix until smooth, adding more water as needed to make the mixture spreadable.
Ready the Muffin Tin
Butter 10 cups of a large muffin tin. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the honey schmear into the bottom of each cup.
Mix Cinnamon and Sugar
In a small bowl, mix ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Cover Rolled-Out Dough with Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 10-by-10-inch square about ¼ inch thick. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Roll the Dough
Using your hands, firmly roll up the dough like a jelly roll. Transfer to a sheet pan and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Slice the Dough
Using a sharp knife or a taut length of dental floss, cut the dough into 10 slices, each about 1 inch thick. Place one slice (on its cut side) in each muffin cup.
Let the Buns Rise
Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until they reach the rim of the pan, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. (Or cover and let rise in the refrigerator overnight.)
Bake the Buns
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Flip the Baked Buns
While the buns bake, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Let the buns cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then flip the pan over onto the sheet pan. Carefully lift off the muffin pan, leaving the buns and toppings on the sheet pan. Let cool.
Drizzle with Glaze
Meanwhile mix together 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and ¼ cup milk to make a glaze. With a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the buns.
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