This past month has brought a handful of late night dinners, good old fashioned catching up, laughter, and a familiar presence that I long for. Little pitter patters down the hall, laughing from the next room, family in every nook and cranny. My sister, baby nephew, and 2 dear friends, left just a few weeks backs, and I have had a bit of an empty feeling since. Baby Jaxon can light up a room with his infectious laughter. His growth and development amazes me, his new found experimentation with language. Birds, bikes, boats, and pizza being a few of his favorite words. He is remarkable with animal identification, and can mimic sounds from a few of the popular ones. Monkey, puppy, and cow, melting me to pieces. 

My in-laws are now here visiting, and I am feeling the presence of family once again. I am anticipating a visit from my mother in a few weeks from now, and then home for the holidays. Only a few weeks in between visits, I am so blessed this time of year for the love and warmth I feel. I do enjoy a hungry audience, excited about cookies and cake. A true expression of love - baking.

Brent and his father have been known to enjoy a cinnamon bun or two, even mentioning that it may be the most adored in the world of baked goods. With this valuable information, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. Having a few sticks of butter on hand, room temperature, melted, and cold, each worked into the recipe in different stages, cinnamon buns are not for the light-hearted. I love the feeling of risen dough in my hands, light and fluffy, like a giant marshmallow. The smell if cinnamon and sugar, combined with yeast, baking in the oven is intoxicatingly delicious. Whipped cheese frosting, with a hint of maple syrup, dolloped on top and finished with a sprinkle of flaked salt. I am sure these buns will get eaten in the next few days, with not one to be spared. I do adore this recipe, one that I have tweaked and tweaked until just right. With a dessert important as cinnamon buns, it only be appropriate that I get it right.

CINNAMON BUNS WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

makes 15 cinnamon buns

prep time - 3 hours

cooking time - 35 minutes

notes: cinnamon buns can be baked in a baking pan, cake pan, or cast-iron skillet. As long as it has edges so that the buns can rise into each other, giving that soft cake texture. After they have been baked, they can be left in the fridge without icing, and reheated just before eating. 

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (2 1/2 tsp) of dry active yeast

• 1/2 tsp of granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup of warm water (between 110 - 115ºF)

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 tbsp of vanilla

• 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 cup of water

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour

• 1 cup of bread flour

• 2 tbsp of granulated sugar

• 1 tsp of kosher salt

FILLING INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of brown sugar

• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar

• 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp of cinnamon

• 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter, cubed

ICING INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz of cream cheese, room temperature

• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar

• 3 tbsp of maple syrup

• flaked salt for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast with 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/4 cup of warm water. Let it proof for 5 minutes

2. Add the beaten egg, vanilla, melted butter, and water to the bowl of the stand mixer. Attach the dough hook and mix on slow speed.

3. In a separate large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp of salt.

4. Turn the stand mixer to the lowest speed and slowly add the flour mixture. Knead until the ingredients are combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, approximately 3 minutes.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl and set it onto a well-floured surface. Cover your hands in flour and gently shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough into a large well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place it in a warm draft-free area for 2 hours to rise.

6. After two hours, punch down the dough and let it rise for 20 minutes. Finally, punch down the dough and then let it rise for 20 additional minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Arrange the shelves so that one is on the bottom and one is in the middle. Fill a baking dish halfway with water and place it on the bottom shelf.

8. To make the filling, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and combine with your hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.

9. Once the dough has finished rising, place it onto a well-floured surface. Roll out the dough into a large 24 x 12-inch rectangle.

10. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture onto the dough, leaving a half-inch gap along the top edge of the rectangle.  Roll the dough from the bottom side up. Brush some water along the 1/2 inch gap, allowing it to stick and prevent leaking of the cinnamon sugar.  

11. With a very sharp knife, cut the dough into 15 slices. Place the cinnamon buns into a 9 x 15" baking dish. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 

12. Place the cinnamon buns into the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 35 minutes. Begin to check the buns around 25 minutes. You do not want them to become too dark and hard. They should develop a nice light brown color, and the cinnamon sugar should start to bubble out of the tops. They should be soft to touch, but not undercooked. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. 

13. To make the icing. While the cinnamon buns are cooling, place the cream cheese, butter confectioners sugar and maple syrup into the bowl of a stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, whisk until light and fluffy. With a spatula or bread knife, spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cinnamon buns. To finish, sprinkle with some flaked salt.

14. They can be stored in the fridge covered for a couple of days.