Cinnamon Buns and Sticky Buns

Cinnamon Buns and Sticky Buns © kvalifood.com

Soft, light, tender, and slightly sweet dough spiraled with cinnamon sugar. Choose a white fondant glaze for cinnamon buns or caramel glaze for sticky buns, then add nuts and dried fruit as desired.

Ingredients

Makes 8 to 12 large or 12 to 16 smaller buns

  • 6½ tbsp (3.25 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp (0.25 oz) salt
  • 5½ tbsp (2.75 oz) shortening or unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 45 g large egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp (0.17 oz) lemon extract, or 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 450 g unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp (0.22 oz) instant yeast
  • 260–280 g whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
  • Or 3 tbsp powdered milk and 1 cup water
  • 110 g cinnamon sugar (6½ tbsp sugar plus 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon)
  • White Fondant Glaze (for cinnamon buns) or Caramel Glaze (for sticky buns)
  • Walnuts, pecans, or other nuts (for sticky buns, optional)
  • Raisins or dried cranberries/cherries (for sticky buns, optional)

Directions

Cream together the sugar, salt, and shortening on medium-high speed (or by hand). Whip in the egg and lemon extract until smooth. Add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed until a ball forms. Switch to the dough hook (or knead by hand) and increase speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes (12-15 minutes by hand) until the dough is silky, supple, tacky but not sticky. You may need to add a little flour or water to achieve this texture. Test the windowpane and aim for 77–81°F (25–27°C).

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough, rolling to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours until the dough doubles in size.

Mist the counter with oil and transfer the dough. Roll out with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour. Roll into a rectangle about ⅔ inch thick: 14 inches wide by 12 inches long for larger buns, or 18 inches wide by 9 inches long for smaller buns. Don’t roll too thin or the buns will be tough and chewy.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the dough surface. Roll up into a tight cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral. With the seam side down, cut into even pieces: 8-12 pieces about 1¾ inches thick for larger buns, or 12-16 pieces about 1¼ inches thick for smaller buns.

For cinnamon buns: Line sheet pans with parchment. Place the buns approximately ½ inch apart so they aren’t touching but are close to one another.

For sticky buns: Coat the bottom of baking dishes or pans with sides at least 1½ inches high with a ¼-inch layer of caramel glaze. Sprinkle on nuts and raisins. Lay the dough pieces on top of the glaze, spacing them about ½ inch apart.

Mist the dough with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a plastic bag.

Proof at room temperature for 75-90 minutes until the pieces have grown into one another and nearly doubled in size. Alternatively, retard the shaped buns in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling them out 3-4 hours before baking to proof.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack on the middle shelf for cinnamon buns, or the lowest shelf for sticky buns.

Bake cinnamon buns for 20-30 minutes or sticky buns for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. For sticky buns (which bake upside-down), the heat must penetrate through the pan to caramelize the glaze. The trickiest part is knowing when the underside is fully baked—it takes practice.

For cinnamon buns: Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then streak white fondant glaze across the warm tops. Remove the buns from the pans and place on a cooling rack. Wait at least 20 minutes before serving.

For sticky buns: Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove by flipping them over onto another pan. Carefully scoop any run-off glaze back over the buns with a spatula. Wait at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Enriched, not rich: Fat content is slightly under 20%, making these buns indulgent but not overly heavy. Richer brioche dough is an option if you want even more decadence.
  • Fondant glaze: Sift 4 cups powdered sugar into a bowl. Add 1 tsp lemon or orange extract and 6 tbsp to ½ cup warm milk, whisking until dissolved. The glaze should be thick and smooth. Apply to warm (not hot) buns by dipping fork tines or fingers in the glaze and waving over the tops.
  • Caramel glaze: Cream ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp salt, and ½ lb unsalted butter for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup corn syrup and 1 tsp lemon, orange, or vanilla extract, then cream for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Use a ¼-inch layer to coat the pan, and refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container (keeps for months).
  • Other sweet rolls: This dough also works for thumbprint rolls filled with jam, or pastry logs baked whole like bâtards, then sliced after cooling.