A new addition and an old favorite

I used to make these cinnamon buns for you all once in a while when you were little, but it's probably been at least a decade since I made them last. They popped into my head as something different to make when we were bringing breakfast over to Andi and Adam while we met Aubrey (so cute!) for the first time last weekend.

 

Just like when you all were babies, but with a lot more gray hair (me, not Aubrey)

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 I broke the recipe down into little pieces to go with the step-by-step pictures I took so the process looks more complicated than it is. Most cinnamon buns/rolls are raised with yeast, but these use baking powder and baking soda so they're ready in just about an hour from start to finish for a relatively quick treat.

 

Cinnamon Buns

Adapted from the Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (2011)

Time: ~1 hour

You need 1 stick of unsalted butter for this recipe, which you melt at the beginning and use in portions throughout.

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
150 grams (¾ cup) dark brown sugar
50 grams (¼ cup) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cloves
rounded ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) of the melted butter (see note)

Dough
360 grams (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter
25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated white sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
rounded ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
300 grams (1¼ cups) low-fat buttermilk or plain kefir
6 tablespoons (85 grams) of the melted butter, divided (see note)

Icing
30 grams (2 tablespoons) low-fat buttermilk or plain kefir
28 grams (2 tablespoons) cream cheese or Neufchâtel, softened
100 grams (1 cup less 1 tablespoon) confectioners' sugar

    1. For the prep: Hang a rack in the upper-middle rung of the oven; heat to 425 degrees. Take the cream cheese or Neufchâtel out of the fridge to soften. Melt a stick of unsalted butter. Brush a round 9-inch cake pan (preferably nonstick) with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Spray a wire cooling rack with nonstick cooking spray; place inside a 13-by-18-inch half-sheet pan, lined with foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup if you like.
    2. For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown and white sugars, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Using your fingers, mix in 1 tablespoon of the melted butter until the mixture looks and feels like wet sand.

 

 

   3. For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, stir until the liquid is absorbed; the dough will be sticky and shaggy. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead just until smooth and no longer shaggy.
    4. Using your fingers, pat the dough into a 12-by-9-inch rectangle.

    5. Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar filling, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Press the filling firmly into the dough.

You can see from the ruler that I made the rectangle too big, which stretched the dough too thin and led to some leakage, as you'll see in the next photo.

    6. Work a floured bench scraper or metal spatula under the dough to loosen it from the counter. Starting at the long side nearest you, roll the dough away from you, pressing gently, to form a tight 12-inch log. Pinch the seam to seal it shut.

 

    7. Turn the log seam-side down. Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the log into 8 even pieces, pressing straight down. Using your hand, flatten each piece gently to seal the open edges and keep the filling in place.
    8. Place 1 roll in the center of the buttered pan, then place the other 7 rolls around the outside of the pan. Brush the rolls with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.

 

    9. Bake until the tops and edges of the rolls are golden brown and delicious, about 23 minutes. Using a flat edge (dull plastic knife or offset spatula), loosen the buns from the pan, then, without separating, slide the buns onto the greased cooling rack. Wait 5 minutes before icing.
    10. For the icing: Meanwhile, in the now-empty small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and softened cream cheese, working out any lumps of cream cheese. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until completely smooth. Drizzle evenly over the buns. Separate the buns and, ideally, serve promptly while still warm. Makes 8 buns.