My Favorite Cinnamon Buns

We are in Norway for the holidays, my mother’s homeland. While you rarely see them with frosting as you do in the States, Norwegians take cinnamon buns seriously. They are everywhere, with their deliciously hard-to-resist aroma wafting out of coffee shops and bakeries, making it next to impossible to stick to my no-sugar, lower-carb way of eating, especially when everyone else at the table orders a bun as a side dish to their breakfast, lunch, and coffee.

I’ve become that person who says, “You don’t mind, do you?” as I reach over before I get an answer and snatch a small piece off of someone else’s plate so that I can have a taste. It’s partly curiosity about the texture and flavor, but mostly want to savor one bite of those buttery, sweet delights.

Here is a recipe I’ve had privately posted for my family for several years. We’ve had a couple of bake-offs between nieces, with my grand-nieces adding their special touch.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

For the dough:
1 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 teaspoon salt

Filling
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 – 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon (I use 1 tablespoon, but you can add more if you want a stronger cinnamon flavor)
1/2 cup sugar
Optional: raisins (soak in cold water for about 10 minutes before using) or chopped walnuts or pecans.

Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar

Dough:
1. In a glass measuring cup, heat the milk in the microwave until warm, 20-25 seconds or so.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and allow it to proof for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
3. Add the granulated sugar, flour, and salt to a food processor bowl and pulse once or twice to mix.
4. Cut the butter into small cubes and drop it into the flour mixture.
5. Pulse the food processor a few times until the butter is incorporated into the mixture.
6. Add the eggs to the milk and yeast and give it a good whisk with a fork.
7. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the milk and egg mixture. The dough should begin to pull together into a ball.
8. Remove the dough from the food processor and knead it on a lightly floured surface for 2-3 minutes until it becomes elastic. The dough will be very soft and tacky but will become less so as you knead it.
9. Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, form it into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it stand at room temperature for 2 – 2 ½ hours or until it is doubled in size.

Filling:
For the filling, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

Assembly:

1. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
3. Gently shape and roll the dough into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle with the long side nearest you.
4. Spread the soft butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top edge.
5. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough (raisins/nuts, too, if you are using them), leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough.
6. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder.
7. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down.
8. Using a sharp knife, slice the cylinder into 12 rolls.
9. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil.

Second rise and bake:
1. Let the rolls rise for 1 ½ hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Brush the tops of the buns with an egg wash made with 1 egg and a tablespoon or two of water whisked together.
4. When the oven is heated, place the rolls on the center rack and bake for 25-30 minutes. If they begin to brown too quickly, cover them with foil midway through. Bake until they are golden brown on top.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit.

Glaze:
While the rolls are cooling, make the icing by whisking the cream cheese and butter by hand or with an electric mixer until creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.

Overnight Method:
This is how you’d make the rolls the day before and bake them in the morning if you’d like.

Make the buns to the point you have cut the rolls and placed them in the baking pan to rise.

Cover the pan tightly with foil that has been buttered so the rolls won’t stick.

Place the rolls in the fridge for at least a few hours. Before going to bed, take the rolls out and leave them in a cool place in your kitchen to rise slowly overnight.

In the morning, bake!
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brush the tops of the buns with an egg wash made with 1 egg and a tablespoon or two of water whisked together.
3. When the oven is heated, place the rolls on the center rack and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cover them with foil mid-way through if they begin to brown too quickly. Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit.

Note: The buns should be a toasted brown color when done, as they are in my photos.