These cinnamon buns are made from a yeast dough with a cinnamon, cardamom, and sugar filling. The dough is rolled, sliced into single portions and baked in a cast-iron skillet. As soon as they are in the oven, the whole kitchen smells already like delicious cinnamon buns and once they come out of the oven you want to directly take a bite of these big, fluffy, soft and absolutely mouthwatering buns.
Tools & Equipment
- 25,4cm / 10-inch cast iron skillet
- Aluminium foil
- Food processor
- Instant-read thermometer
- Liquid measuring cup
- Medium bowl
- Pastry Brush
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Scraper
- Serrated Knife
- Silicone spatula
- Whisk
Recipe Tips
The Dough: after you have processed the dough in the food processor for 2-3 minutes, place it on an unfloured surface and knead it well with your hands. The dough is wet and sticky. Do not use flour, just spread some oil between the palm of your hands. This makes it easier to knead the dough and prevents it from sticking to your hands. Using oil instead of flour helps to maintain the texture of the dough.
Dark Brown Sugar: the use of dark brown sugar in this dough has the effect that the final cinnamon buns tend to turn slightly darker than normal cinnamon buns, they turn golden brown. In case you prefer lighter cinnamon buns, use only light brown sugar.
Brown Sugar: if you do not have brown sugar, you can make it at home: Mix 100g of granulated sugar and 6.5g of molasses in a food processor and let it run until the sugar has a uniform colour. You can buy molasses in health food stores/drugstores.
Directions – How to Make Cinnamon Buns
Make the Dough
Grease a medium bowl with vegetable oil (15g) and set aside. Weigh all ingredients.
Add buttermilk and oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it in three 10-second intervals until your thermometer shows a temperature about 38°C / 100°F.
Whisk together the egg, yeast, light and dark brown sugar in a liquid measuring cup and add the warm buttermilk mixture. Stir until combined.
Mix together flour, salt and baking powder in a food processor. Stream in the buttermilk mixture while the food processor is running. Process until the dough pulls away from the sides of the food processor and comes together, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Place the dough with a bowl scraper onto an unfloured surface. Spread some oil in the palms of your hands if needed and knead the dough. Push it away from you and then pull it back towards you until it forms a smooth ball, for about 3 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and place into the prepared bowl; turn the dough to distribute the oil evenly. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate until the volume of the dough has doubled, at least for 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
Make the Filling
Combine cinnamon, salt, cardamom, dark and light brown sugar in a small bowl.
Assemble the Buns
Grease a 25, 4cm / 10-inch cast iron skillet with oil. Take the dough out of the bowl, place it on an unfloured surface and punch it down. Roll out into a 20x20cm / 8×8-inch square, fold a 20x10cm / 8×4-inch rectangle and fold the rectangle to form a 10x10cm / 4×4-inch square. If the dough seems hard to work with, let it sit for about 5 minutes to relax and try again.
Roll out the dough into a 30x30cm / 12×12-inch square about 0,6cm / 0,25-inch thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Start at the edge in front of you and roll the dough away from you into a tight log.
With a sharp, serrated knife cut off about 1,3cm / 0,5-inch dough from both ends and discard. Slice the log crosswise into 3 pieces and wipe the knife clean between the slices. Slice each section crosswise into 3 buns, each about 2.5 cm thick. Spread the buns evenly in the prepared skillet.
As they proof, they start to touch (it’s good, then they will rise vertically in the oven while baking). Cover the skillet with foil and place in a warm, dry spot. Allow the buns to rise until they have doubled in volume and slowly spring back when you poke them with your finger, for about 1 to 1½ hours.
Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 177°C / 350°F. Bake the buns, still covered, for about 20 minutes until they are puffed, pale and almost set. Remove the foil and continue baking until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes for a soft bun and up to 25 minutes for a more toasted bun. Let the buns cool slightly.
Make the Glaze
In the meantime combine powdered sugar, vanilla paste and buttermilk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
Brush the glaze over the warm buns with a pastry brush and serve from the skillet.
My Summary for Cinnamon Buns
Difficulty: intermediate.
Taste: the frosting not overpowering, therefore the cinnamon buns are sweet, but not too sweet and the cinnamon flavor can fully develop. So much cinnamon…yummy!
Texture: the buns are golden-brown, a little crusty on the outside and super soft and fluffy on the inside.
PROS: yes, you have to plan ahead, but the result is worth the effort. You can enjoy them for breakfast, as well as with coffee or tea in the afternoon.
CONS: making these buns is time consuming. You must plan ahead, because the dough has to proof at least for 8 hours. Furthermore you need a bit patience with the dough, it’s very wet and sticky at first and you have to knead it well.
