Quick and Easy Cinnamon Buns

Mmm....cinnamon buns (or rolls, whatever you prefer to call them). Sweet, sticky, gooey cinnamon-y. Gives meaning to life, you might say.

Instead of subjecting yourself to 900 calorie Cinnabon, you can try these! Okay, they're not a whole lot better nutrition wise, but definitely not as bad. And they taste just as good!

This is by no means a copycat Cinnabon recipe. The sauce on this cinnamon bun is less thick and slightly sweet and milky and the brown sugar flavor is a lot more prominent. I honestly prefer these to Cinnabon. Something about making everything from scratch and knowing exactly what goes into it makes them taste just a little better. I never liked making any kind of dough before this. Yeast is not my friend. I conquered my fear for this recipe though because, hello, it's a cinnamon roll. Yum.

Brown sugar, cinnamon, sweet glaze. Yeah, if these pictures don't make you drool, you might want to get that checked out.



Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 package or 1.5 tsp instant yeast
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)

Glaze
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon


1. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it bubbles. Remove from heat. Mix in butter until melted. Let it come to room temperature (stick it in the freezer for 5 minutes if you're impatient like me). 

2. In another bowl, mix together 2 1/4 cup of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. 

3. Mix in the water, egg and the milk/butter mixture. Beat thoroughly. 

4. Add the rest of the flour in small additions until the dough just comes together.

 

5. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes. 

  

6. Transfer the dish to deep bowl and cover it with a damp towel for 10 to 15 minutes. 

7. In a separate bowl, mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and soft butter. Set aside.

8. Roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. 

9. Spread the brown sugar mixture onto the dough, reaching all the corners. 

10. Roll up the dough. Cut into equal size rolls, depending on the thickness you desire. 

If any excess brown sugar comes out, spread it on the top of the dough.

Raw dough never looked so good.

11. Place the rolls spiral side up on a greased 9x13 baking sheet. It is okay if they are touching. Cover the pan with your damp towel and let it rise until the dough has doubled. This should take about 30 minutes. 

12. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Glaze-less rolls... still yummy looking.

5. While baking, prepare the glaze. Sift confectioner's sugar in a small bowl. Pour condensed milk over it and mix well. Mix in the lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over baked buns while warm.