How to make Nutty Cinnamon Buns

Lucie Janik is sharing the recipe for her amazing Nutty Cinnamon Buns. We believe the smell of cinnamon is just the perfect scent for the cold winter season.

What is your favourite season? Probably spring or summer, right? I am a big fan of the warm seasons as well, but something about the colder times of the year just gets me. Maybe it’s the coziness, hearty dishes, mulled wine and of course, baked goods with all our favourite Christmas flavours. Cinnamon is hands down my favourite spice and I liked to add it to most of the dishes or beverages I make. A sprinkle in my porridge or on top of my cappuccino just give me that extra kick and of course, I go crazy for the signature cinnamon flavoured dish: Cinnamon Buns.

Just fresh out of the oven, these babies give me comfort on cold days and are just the right size so that they won’t fill me up too much. Also in the mood for some buns? Let’s get started!

Melt the almond milk and (vegan) butter in a small pan on low heat and occasionally stir the mixture. Once the butter has completely melted and is still warm, transfer the mix to a big bowl. Sprinkle the dry yeast on top and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and stir until well combined. 

Now on to the last ingredient for the dough: the flour. Be careful not to drop all the flour into the mixture at once. I did this mistake once and the dough turned against me and I had to start all over again. My tip: get a small coffee mug and drop small portions of flour into the bowl and mix well each time. Takes a bit more time, but it will prevent clumps and a dough monster that will start a sticky raging war on you. For this recipe, I would recommend a kitchen machine since the dough really needs some work but you can also do it by hand. I used my trusted Kitchen Aid with hook attachment to get this done.

Once your dough is well combined you can transfer it to a clean and well-floured working surface. As always, keep some extra flour on the side, you will probably need it! Knead the dough for 1 minute until you have a nicely formed round dough baby. Grease a big bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and add the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and your dough baby is ready to go to bed. Since the dough needs to rise, it’s best to keep it in a warm place, so I normally tuck the bowl under the bed sheets for 1 hour.

While your dough baby is busy rising, you can already start preparing your filling. Traditionally cinnamon buns only have cane sugar, butter, and cinnamon filling but I like to have some extra crunch and flavour. That’s of course optional, but I like to go nuts with my buns. I love adding pecan and hazelnuts, but you could also try walnuts or even unsalted peanuts. Chop the nuts until they are easy to sprinkle, but still are not too small to actually feel them while snacking. Mix the cane (or coconut) sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Just before your dough baby has finished rising, you can melt the (vegan) butter on low heat in a pan and set aside for now. Now let’s start rolling. Transfer the dough baby to a clean and floured working surface and roll it into a thin rectangle. I used a rolling pin but if you are not that well stocked, don’t worry, a bottle of water or wine works fine too and you could also enjoy a glass!

Brush the rectangle with the melted butter and sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon-mixture evenly on top. Make sure to cover the entire area and don’t forget the edges! Repeat the same process for your chopped nuts. Now you can roll up the dough from the longer side and grab your trusted floss to cut the pieces. Sounds weird at first but works better than cutting the buns with a knife.

Transfer your buns into a buttered round baking tin and brush them with a bit of melted butter to get that glorious golden shine. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and let the buns rest while you preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Once your oven is preheated, pop the buns in and bake them for 25-30 minutes until they are golden brown.

Once your kitchen is filled with that beautiful cinnamon smell, you can take them out of the oven and let them cool for a bit. I don’t let them cool completely, because I love them while still a bit warm and gooey but that’s of course up to you.

If you are extra sweet, you could cover the buns with a sugar icing or cream cheese frosting but I prefer mine au naturel.