Hi! So it’s Tuesday and we should talk about cinnamon buns. 

If I were to rate my attempt at sticking to my New Year’s resolutions on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being absolutely feeble, then I’d most definitely be sitting at 9.5. These cinnamon buns have been my undoing. Has it been worth it?

Trick question. As far as sweet pastries go I’ve always been a Danish/Cinnamon Swirl kinda gal. I mean, what is not to love? If you were even going to try and answer that then just go, go right now and don’t come back. Because what you’re about to see should probably be illegal.

I’m going to go ahead and pad this post out with a string of adjectives. Scroll down for the good stuff.

Beautiful, blissful, freshly baked and fresh out of the oven, a pleasurable fit for the gods. Fluffy on the inside, sticky, sweet, scrumptious and if we’re serious, sinful. Swirled, glazed, homemade and indulgent. Ladies and gentlemen I give you, Cinnamon Pull-Apart Buns.

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Buns

Makes 10-12 buns

Adapted from Joy the Baker and Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

For the dough:

Half a sachet (3.5g) active dry yeast

60ml warm water

120ml whole milk, scalded

100g caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

480g all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

60g unsalted butter, melted

75g sultanas

For the filling:

30g unsalted butter, room temperature

1 heaped tablespoon ground cinnamon

135g brown sugar

For the sticky glaze:

1 egg, beaten (to brush)

6 tablespoons icing sugar

3 tablespoons whole milk

Method

1. Add the yeast to warm water and stir to dissolve. Leave for a few minutes until it begins to froth, then transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add 120g of the flour, sugar, salt, beaten eggs and the hot milk and mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the dough has come together, then add another 180g of flour and turn the speed up a bit until it’s been incorporated. Finally add the melted butter and the remaining 180g flour and knead the dough for around 5 minutes. The dough will be super sticky and elastic, but panic not! Scrape (literally) the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm spot for an hour.
2. After an hour of proving, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and with your hands, knead in the sultanas. Work the dough for 5 minutes or so until it is springy and pliable, and doesn’t stick to the work surface. Shape the dough into a ball, place back in the bowl, cover and leave to rise for another 30 minutes.
3. After the second prove, take the dough and roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle around half an inch thick and transfer to a sheet of parchment paper. Spread the softened butter over the entire surface of the dough. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle it gently dump it all over that beast of glory and spread evenly. NOTE: the amount of sugar in this recipe results in oozing, sticky, delicious cinnamon buns. If you’re not into that, then please click the top right button… or left if you’re on a Mac.
4. Roll the dough away from you into a log and sit seam-side down. Cover with a clean dish towel and leave to rise for another 20 minutes – I know, the suspense is killing me too. Preheat the oven to 200°c to pass the time.
5. FINALLY – it’s time. Slice the dough-log-thing almost all of the way to the bottom, leaving about an inch between each slice. You should get between 10 to 12 slices. Then arrange each cut section so that they lean to alternate sides. Brush the dough all over with the beaten egg. Slide the parchment paper with the cinnamon buns onto a baking sheet.
6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes until puffed up and golden and oozing and until the house smells so damn good you literally can’t handle life any more. I’m so sorry for sharing this with you.
7. Sticky glaze:
8. Whisk together the icing sugar and milk and drizzle all over the cinnamon buns. For a thicker glaze use more icing sugar.
9. Pull-apart and die happy.