I used to live with a girl who hated the scent and flavour of the so-called autumn/winter spices. Ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice were almost cast out of the kitchen permanently as she couldn’t stand them. When the weather started to get cooler, I would revel in thoughts of pumpkin pies, chai-flavoured cakes and, most of all, cinnamon buns.
She would never even try these delights when I baked them come autumn, and while I was a little disheartened, more for me, I thought. Cinnamon can be a love it or loathe it ingredient but it is one that evokes cosy feelings and I adore it.
I’ve gone full tilt with the autumn-inspired recipes for the next few weeks, and this week it’s a classic and nostalgic bake that lots of us love but one that many of us steer away from making. A cinnamon bun is a glorious thing, definitely a sweater-weather bake. While it does take a little time and patience to prepare, there are a few little hacks that will help you achieve a perfectly swirled bun every time.
A classic cinnamon bun really needs no frilly additions apart from cream cheese icing. For this recipe, I’ve topped them with a maple syrup cream cheese glaze. Drizzled over the top once baked, it adds a decadent sweet and sticky finish to these warm comforting little buns.
A bun dough like this uses yeast, so waiting for it to rise is the hardest part, really. Once risen, the dough is rolled out and spread with a cinnamon and brown sugar butter and cut into strips before being rolled into perfect little Swiss roll-like buns. This may seem fiddly but I’ve given a few tips to make it as straightforward as possible.
Traditionally, you would roll up the dough and then cut it into individual buns but this can sometimes squash the dough. By cutting the dough into strips and then rolling, you end up with clean-cut neat swirls and an oh-so-satisfying perfectly round bun. Once cut, they need a second rise, so arrange them in a baking tray, leaving a little space between each one to expand a little, cover with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave them to do their thing.
Once baked, they will be golden brown with a beautifully light and fluffy texture. They are best eaten the day they are baked but they freeze quite well too.
