Cinnabon Style Cinnamon Buns

It’s been almost an obsession to perfect my copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon buns are perfectly soft, fluffy and packed with flavor.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 cup milk (warmed)

• 2 1/2 tsp active yeast

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 4 1/4 cups flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup butter

Filling:

• 1 and 1/2 sticks softened salted butter

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

Icing:

• 1 package cream cheese

• 1 stick butter

• 1 cup confectioners sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Pour the warm milk in a mixer and add yeast on top. Lets sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. Now add in the eggs, sugar, salt, and butter and gently mix. (Tip: you can melt your butter and then add milk to the pan for perfectly warm ingredients. )

   
   

2. Slowly add in the flour. Combine until just blended. Flour a surface and spread the dough on top. Knead the dough for five minutes. ** If it's sticky, add a touch more flour but try to refrain from adding too much and making the mix dry. You should take a few minutes break to let the dough rest. Then, if it's sticking to your hands, wet them with water or oil to continue kneading.

   
   
   

   Place rounded dough in a bowl and cover. Allow it to rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, until doubled and domed.

3. Now spread the dough again on a generously floured surface. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it's a rectangle that is about 24 inches long and 18 inches high.

4. Blend your filling ingredients, you can just squish the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon with your hands until it's a consistent texture. Now spread it evenly across your rectangle.

5. From the long 24 inch side, start rolling your dough up evenly like a worm. Once it's rolled, cut into 12 even pieces. Tip: dental floss makes perfect cuts!

   
   

   

   
   

   Grease a baking pan. Place the buns into the baking pan. The perfect size pan would be 12x9. Make enough space for the buns to proof, and the buns should be touching when the proofing is complete.

6. Once the buns have proofed, about an hour and a half later, or when they are touching each other completely, preheat your oven to 350. Pour some half and half over the buns to saturate the bottom of the pan.

   

7. Cook the buns until lightly golden brown on top, about 25-30 minutes.

For the icing, combine softened cream cheese, butter, and confectioner's sugar in a stand mixer until well-blended and clump-free. Spread over the warm cinnamon buns and enjoy!

Notes:

Cinnamon buns can be kept in the fridge so you can have them for breakfast the next day. They can be placed in the fridge before the final proof. After rolling and cutting, place the buns in the pan, cover with saran wrap and take out the buns in the morning. Let them sit one hour, or until touching and then bake for breakfast!

Cinnamon buns can take any shape, and it's fun to experiment. This same recipe can also be used for babka!