Cinnamon rolls, buns, swirls — we can call them whatever! — but almost nothing can beat these made from scratch sweets with a cup of black coffee in the morning.
Coffee? That’s 30-years old Natalie speaking, though in my childhood I preferred to enjoy the buns with a glass of fresh milk. You know, those times when you were playing outside for hours and then your grandma called you in and gave THEM! Oh boy, that was the moment when time stopped — only me, them and endless curiosity to roll out the whole bun without breaking it! 🙂
For the dough:
250 g milk
11 g active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar (1)
3 generous tbsp flour (1)
100 g sugar (2)
2 eggs
100 g butter, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
450 g flour, sifted (2)
At first we need to prepare leaven. In a microwave-safe bowl heat milk until it becomes slightly warm. Add sugar (1), dry yeast and flour (1) to milk and mix everything well. Leave the bowl in a warm place for 30 minutes (this time needs to activate the yeast and make it work). The mixture will significantly increase in size.
In a bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment mix eggs, sugar (2) and butter until well incorporated. Add prepared earlier leaven, salt and vanilla extract, mix everything together. Add one third of flour (2) and mix it in on a low speed. Gradually add the remaining flour and change the attachment to hook. Knead dough on a low speed for good 5 minutes. The dough should become uniform and non-sticky.
Transfer the dough to a surface slightly dusted with flour and knead it with your hands for a bit. Place in a dry clean bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place for 1-2 hours. The dough should increase in size twofold.
When time is up, press the dough down and knead for one more minute.
To assemble the buns:
100 g butter, melted
150 g sugar
3 tbsp ground cinnamon
In a bowl combine sugar and ground cinnamon. Divide dough into 5 pieces.
Working with one piece at a time, roll out the dough into rectangle. Using a culinary brush grease the dough with butter and then sprinkle over the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Starting with a long side, roll the dough up. Cut the roll in the middle. And then the fun part begins!
How they say — “A picture’s worth a thousand words”? Well, here comes the picture 🙂 Shape the rolls as shown and place buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Repeat the process with remaining dough. Leave the buns to prove until they increase in size, 15-25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 C/390 F. When swirls are ready, slightly grease them with remaining butter and place the sheet in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until nice golden-brown color.
What’s your brightest food-related childhood memory?
It all sounds so familiar to me. Smells like a cinnamon in the air after reading your post.
Can’t wait to try the recipe!
<3
Childhood memories are so strong! And cinnamon brings sense of warmness to a place, right?
These are gorgeous! I love cinnamon rolls, but these look even better! They’d be perfect as part of a little brunch spread. Thanks for sharing!
I do too, especially for their delicious glaze! 🙂
Oh yeah, and if this brunch is somewhere outside, on a blanket, near the ocean… We should plan it sometime soon!
I think pretty food tastes so much better, so these check all my boxes!! My best memory is watching the harry potter marathon and eating leftover pecan pie the day after christmas as a little kid 🙂
I agree!! Oh wow, it sounds like a very pleasant memory, and I don’t mind to do it for the next Christmas, haha 🙂
hi these look lovely! Two questions, I guess I would see clearly once I make them, however, does this recipe make 5 of the buns?
when you say roll out each pc to a rectangle…how big should it be rolled to
Hi Ann Marie (what a lovely name you have!) and thanks for stopping by!
You will have 10 buns — after you make a roll, then you’ll cut it in half. Approx. size of the rectangle is 30*20 cm/11*8 in. Though you can make as large or as small buns as you wish, they taste delicious as well 🙂
Happy baking!
Do you know if any of this can be made the night before? Cinnamon rolls take so long to make day-of!
Hi Kelsey!
Yes, you can definitely make dough one day in advance and shape buns and bake them next day (I did the same, haha!)
You brought an interesting question, I might need to mention such things in the recipes. Thank you!