One of the things we counted on in our family growing up was that my mom always made home-made bread. And, one of my fondest memories was coming home from school and opening the door and being greeted with the heady, familiar aroma of cinnamon as fresh buns were being baked in the oven. Here is that perfect cinnamon bun that will be a treat for you, your children, family or overnight guests. The best part is that, if desired, they can be assembled one day, refrigerated and baked fresh the next morning or afternoon. Try them today and make them part of your tradition!
loaf pan this you will fill with boiling water and place in the oven during the first dough rise
Ingredients
For the dough:
¾cupwhole milkwarmed to 110°F
2¼tspinstant yeast
3largeeggsat room temperature
4½cupsall-purpose flour
½cupcornstarch
½cupgranulated sugar
1½tspsalt
12tbsp(6 ounces) unsalted buttercut into 12 pieces and softened
Filling:
1¼cupsbrown sugarlight not dark and packed
1½tbspcinnamon
¼tspsalt
4tbspunsalted buttersoftened so that you can easily spread it on the dough. I usually microwave it for 10-15 seconds.
Glaze:
1½cupsconfectioners' sugar
4ouncescream cheesesoftened
1tbspwhole milk
1tspvanilla extract
Instructions
Adjust the rack to the middle position in your oven.
Line the pan with foil in both directions and leave an inch of foil overhang. You are basically making a sling so that taking the buns out of the pan will be clean and easy. Lightly grease the foil with butter.
Whisk the milk and yeast together in a medium bowl. Once the yeast dissolves add the room temperature eggs and whisk to combine.
Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt on low until combined.
Add the warm milk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.
Now add the butter one piece at a time until all the butter has been added and incorporated.
Continue to mix on medium-low speed for 10 minutes. The dough should come away easily from the side of the bowl. If it isn't, add a tablespoon of flour. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
For the first rise:
Fill loaf pan with boiling water and place in the oven.
Put the dough in a lightly buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the oven to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
To make the filling and the buns:
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
Remove the dough from the oven and on a lightly floured surface roll the dough into an 18" square.
Spread the butter over the square but leave a ½" border around the edges. That way, when you roll into a cylinder the edge will seal. Top with the filling and roll into a cylinder. Press gently to seal the edge.
Cut into 8 equal pieces and transfer cut side up to the foil-lined baking dish.
Cover with plastic wrap and:
Either
Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
Or:
Put in the oven alongside the loaf pan with warm water to rise for 1 hour.
To make the glaze:
Blend the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
To bake when refrigerated overnight:
Remove pan from the fridge and set on the counter for 1 hour. Follow the remaining steps.
To bake after rising in the oven for 1 hour:
Remove the loaf pan with the water and the risen cinnamon buns. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Once the oven is preheated, place the buns in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. If you notice your buns are really browning well after 25 minutes, cover with foil for the remaining baking time.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, using the foil sling to transfer to a metal rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.