Bake Club: Cinnamon Buns

Bake Club: Cinnamon Buns

Bake Club: Cinnamon Buns

Makes12 sizeable buns

Buns

1 cup milk, warmed 

1 tablespoon warm water

1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

4 ½ cups flour, plus more for dusting

½ cup sugar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted 

Brown Sugar Goo

1 cup light brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon 

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar 

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt 

Start with the Buns: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, water and yeast until dissolved and foamy, about 1 minute. Let sit as-is another 5 minutes to continue foaming and growing, ready to do it’s work. 

Ditch the whisk and grab a sturdy spatula. Measure the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl. Toss only the dry ingredients on top together with the spatula first, before truly stirring them into the wet ingredients below. This will result in a dry, shaggy mixture. Add the egg, egg yolk and melted butter in, and mix until the dough comes together as a thick, almost sticky mass. This should take 2-3 minutes. 

Ditch the spatula this time, scraping any doughy remains into the bowl first, and roll up your sleeves. Either in the bowl or on a clean kitchen counter, knead the dough for an additional 5-6 minutes to fully develop the gluten, where your dough will become a smooth, round mass. We’ll go deep on gluten development, especially when mixing a sweet dough like this in the video!

Grease the same large mixing bowl, toss the dough in the fat and leave seam side down. Cover with a dry towel and place in a draft-free spot (I like the microwave or a turned-off oven) to rise for an hour, until it’s doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, make the Brown Sugar Goo: In a small mixing bowl with a sturdy spatula, toss together the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt until they are fully combined, about 1 minute. Cover and set to the side, leaving at room temp.

Grab the proofed dough, punch it down, and knock it out onto a clean, floured counter. Use a rolling pin, roll it into a 16-inch square, flouring the surface of the dough and rolling pin as and if needed. 

Spread the cinnamon goo evenly over the surface of the dough square, being more sparse on the edges to the right, left and furthest from you, as the goo will spread a little. Roll the dough away from you and up into a big, tight tube. Using a sharp knife, slice the tube into 12 rounds, each about 1 ⅓ inches thick. Arrange the rounds, swirl side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, leaving 1 inch between them. Cover and place back in that same secret spot, letting them rise for another 1 to 2 hours, until they’ve doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 375°F and bake the buns for 20 minutes, or until they are just starting to brown on the edges.

Meanwhile, make the Cream Cheese Frosting: in a large bowl with a sturdy spatula, mix together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl until they are smooth and fully combined, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt and mix, flexing your muscles for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is a smooth, pale white and incredibly fluffy. Set to the side.

Remove the buns from the oven and let cool 10 minutes in the pan. While they are still warm (but not piping hot), spread the frosting generously over them. Serve immediately!