Finally, (Sticky) Cinnamon Buns!

I've been trying to make a great cinnamon bun for about two years now.  The thing with cinnamon buns is that if they flop, they are still good enough to scarf down when they are warm and then you have to wait another month or two before you try again or you just feel dirty about it.

One of two survivors that lived till breakfast...

These cinnamon buns (truly, more of a sticky bun) were just awesome!  I added a touch of maple and some white chocolate chips, just because I could, and I used walnuts, because I have tons of them and they go so well with maple.  

This is adapted from a recipe from Allrecipes, and when you read the reviews there, some people found them dry... I don't know what those folks did, but these were soft, tender and moist, even a day later.  The foundation for these buns is a soft dough, before it rises it is really soft and somewhat sticky... but rest assured it is easy to handle when rolling out time comes along.

(Sticky) Cinnamon Buns (with Walnut, Maple, and White Chocolate)

Adapted from Allrecipes

1 tsp sugar

2 1/4 tsp (1 pkg) dry active yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup warm 2% milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup Pure Nova Scotia Maple Syrup (optional)

1 cup walnuts (or pecans, or almonds, or whatever)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup mini white chocolate chips, reserving about 2 tbsp for the top

I didn't get any shots of the dough making sadly, but trust me when I say it's a soft and sticky dough at first.  In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, allow yeast, 1 tsp sugar and warm water to become dissolved and foamy (about 10 minutes).  At the same time, combine the milk, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and butter in a small saucepan and heat until the butter melts, but do not allow to boil... remove from heat and allow to cool back to lukewarm.  

Add the 2 cups (half) of the flour, the eggs and the milk mixture to the yeast and mix on low speed until all of the flour is incorporated.  Add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time and let dough knead in mixer for approximately 6 minutes, until it's  soft and elastic.  With lightly greased hands, remove dough from bowl, oil the bowl and put dough back in.  Cover with plastic wrap and put somewhere warm and allow to rise until doubled, about an hour.

While the dough is rising, put the nuts on the bottom of a prepared (sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with parchment if you are a scaredy cat like me) 9 x 13 inch pan.

Combine the 3/4 cup butter and brown sugar, along with the maple syrup in a small saucepan and cook until it just comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved.  Pour over the nuts and set aside.

When your dough has doubled, transfer it to a floured board or counter and roll out into an (approximate) 14 x 18 inch rectangle.

With your fingers, spread the softened butter over the dough leaving about half an inch at the edges.  Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter.  Sprinkle with the white chocolate chips (if using).

Roll up the long side of the dough as tightly and evenly as you can, pinching together the seam and the two ends.

Using a serrated knife (or a dough scraper like I did), cut the dough into 12 semi-equal portions (flouring the scraper between each cut) and place cut side down in the prepared pan.  Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray and allow to rise again until big and puffy, about another hour.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until brown and somewhat hollow sounding when tapped.

Allow to cool in pan for 3 minutes and then invert onto serving plate or like I did, a large cutting board.  Sprinkle with the reserved white chocolate and wait, and wait, and wait, until they are cool enough to eat without burning yourself. 

Now the problem is that I have finally made awesome cinnamon buns, I don't want to wait a month or two to make them again... woe.

Enjoy!