These Cinnamon Buns are soft, moist, really delicious and the perfect way to welcome us to the month of September… (Hello Fall). There are regular cinnamon buns, and there are these amazing braided cinnamon buns that are oh so pretty, you’ll definitely want to take a whole lot of pictures for the gram.
These braided cinnamon buns are not only pretty, but they are also light, fluffy, absolutely delicious and surprisingly not too sweet, so it’s just perfect for people like me who are not much of a sweet tooth.
Check out our delicious wedding cake flavours that will surely wow you and your guests
Alright, let’s dive into the world of braided cinnamon buns.
Braided Cinnamon buns ingredients
To make these gorgeous braided cinnamon buns, you’ll need the following ingredients (amounts will be listed in the recipe below)
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: In Nigeria, we usually don’t have access to the different kinds of flours like bread flour, cake flour, self-raising flour etc. However, we have an abundance of all-purpose flour. Some bread recipes will call for strong bread flour, but I have made bread that calls for strong bread flour with the all-purpose flour available here and the results have always been successful. So, all-purpose flour works perfectly in this recipe.
- Dry yeast: The original recipe called for fresh yeast, but I used dried yeast with a tweak in the measurements and it worked just the same. Make sure you use freshly bought dry yeast. If you are not sure if your yeast is still active, add a tbsp of water with a pinch of sugar into a bowl. Add 1 tsp of your yeast and see if it bubbles after 5 minutes. If it doesn’t, it means your yeast is bad and you’ll need to run to the store and get yourself a fresh batch.
- Cinnamon: There are no cinnamon buns without cinnamon.
- Salt: Skip this if your butter/margarine is salted.
Wet Ingredients
- Warm coconut milk: I used coconut milk in this recipe because that is what I had on hand. Feel free to use any milk you prefer. The milk should be warm like body temperature and not hot. if the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
- Good quality butter or margarine: Good quality butter or margarine is key to the flavour of these buns. Make sure your butter is at room temperature. Pull it out of the fridge 1-2hrs before mixing the dough.
- Fresh eggs: This should also be at room temperature.
- Coconut sugar: White sugar, soft brown sugar will also work well, however, I stay away from processed sugar as much as I can and use more wholesome natural sugars like cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey or date syrup.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a yummy subtle vanilla flavour to the buns.
The following equipment is also recommended:
- An electric stand mixer (optional): If you love making bread at home, a stand mixer is 100% worth the investment. Electric stand mixers practically do all the kneading job for you. Thankfully, we now have a variety of stand mixers at different price points available in baking supply stores, so getting one will not be difficult. However, if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy one, you can knead your bread by hand. You’ll just need some elbow grease and some power horse, lol… Just kidding.
- A measuring scale: This measures your ingredients accurately for best results.
- A muffin tin: This is used to bake the muffins into individual portions.
How to make braided cinnamon buns
Making these buns are quite easy, but it will take a bit of hands-on practice to learn how to handle bread dough, how wet the dough should be, and how to braid the buns. So, if this is your first time making bread, have a bit of patience with the process, and I promise that you will quickly learn as you go. And of course – the end result will be deliciously worth it!
Here is a basic overview of the recipe instructions (full details in the recipe below):
Step 1
- Mixing the dough: First things first, mix the dough. Pull out the bowl of your stand mixer and add the milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix briefly then add the butter and flour. Transfer to your mixer and with the dough hook attachment, mix the dough till it starts to pull from the sides of the bowl. This can take up to 10 minutes. If you are mixing the dough by hand, transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for up to 10 minutes. The dough will become shiny, smooth and elastic.
- Proof the dough: Form the kneaded dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave or 1 hr till it doubles in size.
Step 2
- Make the filling: Add the cinnamon filling ingredients into a bowl and mix till well combined. Set aside.
- Roll and fill the dough: After 1 hr, the dough should have risen and doubled in size. Transfer the dough to a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Push out the air gently. Roll the dough to roughly the size of an A3 paper. that is approximately 16.5inch by 11.7inch. Make sure the dough is not sticking to your surface. Spread a thin layer of the filling onto the dough and fold the dough in half lengthwise to enclose the filling “like a letter”.
- Portion and braid the dough: Make individual slices lengthwise till you end up with 12 strips of dough. Take a strip of dough and cut down lengthwise to make 3 strands. Plait the three strands together and roll the plait to create a knot. Repeat this for the remaining dough strips.
- Portion into the muffin tin: Place the rolled dough into your greased muffin pan.
Step 3
- 2nd proofing: Cover with a clean cloth and set aside to proof for 30 minutes-1 hr.
- Glaze and bake: Glaze the dough with egg wash and bake in a 200-degree Celsius oven till golden brown.
- Serve: Transfer the baked buns to a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes. Dust with icing sugar or glaze with a cream cheese glaze and serve. Enjoy.
Braided Cinnamon buns FAQ
Can I make my buns ahead? Yes, you absolutely can. After placing the rolled dough into your muffin tin, cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, bake as usual and you’ll have freshly baked braided cinnamon buns for breakfast.
Can I skip the braiding? Yes of course. After spreading the filling unto the dough, instead of folding the dough like a letter, with the long side facing you, simply roll the dough like regular cinnamon buns. Cut the dough into 12 portions and place in a greased muffin tin.
Can I add toppings on top of my buns? Oh yes, you absolutely can. After applying the egg wash, top your buns with anything you like. Coconut flakes, chia seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts are great options.
How to store the braided cinnamon buns? Simply place any leftover buns into a zip lock bag and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat in the oven till soft and fluffy and enjoy.
My amazing blueberry muffins are the perfect treats to enjoy for breakfast… Grab my recipe here
Ingredients
The Dough
- 600 grams all-purpose flour
- 200 grams coconut milk
- 20 grams dry yeast
- 200 grams butter or margarine
- 50 grams coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 75 grams butter
- 125 grams organic brown cane sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Egg Glaze
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp coconut milk
Instructions
- First things first, mix the dough. Pull out the bowl of your stand mixer and add the milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix briefly then add the butter and flour. Transfer to your mixer and with the dough hook attachment, mix the dough till it starts to pull from the sides of the bowl. This can take up to 10 minutes. If you are mixing the dough by hand, transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for up to 10 minutes. The dough will become shiny, smooth and elastic.
- Form the kneaded dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave or 1 hr till it doubles in size.
- Add the cinnamon filling ingredients into a bowl and mix till well combined. Set aside.
Proofing & Shaping The Dough
- After 1 hr, the dough should have risen and doubled in size. Transfer the dough to a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Push out the air gently. Roll the dough to roughly the size of an A3 paper. that is approximately 16.5inch by 11.7inch. Make sure the dough is not sticking to your surface. Spread a thin layer of the filling onto the dough and fold the dough in half lengthwise to enclose the filling “like a letter”.
- Make individual slices lengthwise till you end up with 12 strips of dough. Take a strip of dough and cut down lengthwise to make 3 strands. Plait the three strands together and roll the plait to create a knot. Repeat this for the remaining dough strips.
2nd Proof & Baking The Cinnamon Buns
- Place the rolled dough into your greased muffin pan.
- Cover with a clean cloth and set aside to proof for 30-1hr.
- Glaze the dough with egg wash and bake in a 200-degree Celsius oven till golden brown.
- Transfer the baked buns to a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes. Dust with icing sugar or glaze with a cream cheese glaze and serve. Enjoy.
Notes
After applying the egg wash, you can top your buns with a variety of toppings. Coconut flakes, chia seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts are great options. Enjoy.
Did you make this recipe?
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