Sort of Healthier Cinnamon Buns

Sorta Healthier Cinamon Buns

  • AuthorSherry
  • Prep2 hours (including rise time)
  • Cook20-25 minutes
  • Total2 - 3 hours total
  • StyleBread Making
  • CuisineAmerican
Servings 30
Some sensible, yummy substitutions make these a bit healthier. I mean, let's face it, there's like a pound of butter in this recipe, but what the heck, right?!

Ingredients

  • Dough
  • 1cupcream
  • 1cupwater
  • 4Tbspyeast
  • 4tspsugar or honey
  • 1cupbutter(melted)
  • 1egg(beaten)
  • 1/2tspsalt
  • 1/2cupcoconut flour
  • 3 1/2-4 1/2cupsflour*
  • Filling
  • 1cupbrown sugar
  • 4Tbspcinnamon
  • 1pinchsalt
  • 1pinchnutmeg
  • 1pinchcloves
  • 1cupbutter(melted)
  • Icing(optional)
  • 6-8ouncescream cheese (softened)
  • 1/4cupbutter(softened)
  • 2Tbspcream or milk
  • 1/2tspvanilla
  • 1-1 1/2cupsicing sugar
  • 1/2cupchopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans(optional)***
  • 1/2cupraisins(optional)***

Method

For Dough

    1. In a microwave safe container, mix cream and water together and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
    2. Pour into a large bowl and add yeast and sugar or honey, stirring well to combine.
    3. Let stand about 10 minutes until foamy on top.
    4. Next, add melted butter, beaten egg and salt; mix well.
    5. Add coconut flour and stir with wooden spoon.
    6. Begin adding flour* about ½ cup at a time until the dough stops sticking to the bowl.
    7. Remove dough from bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured surface or silicone mat. Knead for about 10 minutes or 200 kneads, adding flour as needed about 1 tsp at a time to prevent sticking. Allow to rest on the counter while you clean the big bowl with warm water.
    8. Use remaining drips of first amount of melted butter to grease the bowl and place dough in the bowl, turning over and around to grease the entire surface of the dough.
    9. Cover with a warm, damp towel and place in a warm/bread proofing setting on your oven (80-90°F) for 1 ½ hours to rise.
    10. While the dough is rising, make the filling and icing if using then continue with assembly steps.

    Filling

    1. Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves.
    2. If using raisins***, mix in with the sugar and spices.
    3. Melt second amount of butter and keep ready for assembly.

    Assembly

    1. Preheat oven to baking temperature**
    2. Punch down the dough once.
    3. Divide dough in half.
    4. Roll out one half to about a 9 x 13” rectangle.
    5. Spread ⅓ to ½ of the melted butter over the rolled out dough.
    6. Sprinkle with half of the sugar and spice filling mixture. (about ½ cup)
    7. Roll up from the long side of the dough and cut into 12-15 even slices.
    8. Sprinkle 2-3 Tbsp of the sugar and spice filling mixture across the bottom of a 9 x 13” glass baking pan or metal cake pan**. If using nuts***, sprinkle evenly over the bottom of the baking pans.
    9. Place each dough slice, pinwheel side up, in the pan, leaving a bit of room between each, but spacing evenly to fit 12-15 cinnamon buns in the pan.
    10. Repeat steps 3-7 for the second half of the dough in the second pan.
    11. Sprinkle and drizzle any leftover filling mix/butter drips over top of the buns.
    12. Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes then cool slightly.
    13. Turn pan over onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
    14. Drizzle cream cheese icing over all cinnamon bun tops if using.

    Icing

    1. Mix together all icing ingredients with a beater until smooth.
    2. Spoon, drizzle or spread over cinnamon buns before they’re cold, but not too hot still or the icing will just melt.

Recipe Notes

*If you’re using whole wheat flour, you won’t likely require much more than 3 cups plus about ½ cup when kneading. If you’re using white flour, you may require up to the 4 or 4 ½ cups amount. Use your good sense and hands to tell you when you’ve incorporated enough flour. Your dough should not feel hard or dry. It should feel fluffy and not sticky.

**Baking temperature:

Glass pan - 325°F | Metal pan - 350°F

***Some people like to put nuts and raisins in their cinnamon buns. Not this cat. Give me cream cheese icing all day long and no texture or lumps and crunchies in my buns. But, as usual, you do you babe! Anyhow, if you’re using these ingredients, take note of the time to add them and where.

Nutritional Information

Yeah, just eat less stuff from a box and you'll be finer than a frog's hair.