cinnamon bubble buns

I got this recipe in April's Family Fun Magazine - and decided to try them out instead of our regular cinnamon rolls for General Conference.

for the dough:
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sour cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

for the cinnamon-sugar coating:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the vanilla glaze:
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon milk, preferably whole
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by making the dough.  In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it stand until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the butter, sour cream, sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Beat in 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and the baking soda until incorporated.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and continue mixing until a smooth, soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth, about 3 minutes.  As you work, add more flour if the dough is sticky (do not exceed 2 Tablespoons).  Place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or butter, then flour the cups and tap out the excess.

In a small bowl, blend the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.  Place the melted butter in a small, shallow dish.

Gently punch down the dough to deflate it.  Form it into a long cylinder and divide it into 12 equal portions.

Using kitchen scissors or a dough scraper, divide each portion into 6 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a ball.

Here are my dough clumps - I was trying to hurry and didn't do a very precise job of making the balls.

To make a bun, coat six balls with melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Arrange five of the balls in the bottom of a prepared muffin cup.  With your fingertip, make a small well and press the sixth ball in the center.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Loosely cover the buns wiht plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place until they're puffy and have doubled in size, about 40 minutes.  Heat the oven to 350.

 putting them together

 after the buns had risen

Bake the buns on the center rack until golden, 20-22 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack placed over a sheet of waxed paper or aluminum foil to cool for 5-8 minutes, then tilt the pan and gently tap it on a work surface to release the buns.  If needed, a knife can be used to release them from the pan.  Place the buns on the wire rack.

after baking

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the glaze and stir until it's smooth.  If needed, thin the glaze by adding water 1 teaspoon at a time.  Brush each bun with the blaze.  Serve immediately or at room temperature.

with the glaze

I really liked this recipe, but I felt like they were cooked just one minute too long.

I also felt like the butter and cinnamon sugar was not enough.  I ended up making more of it, because I ran out.  Next time I'll try to use less coating, but they were good.

Also, the recipe said they would only take 2 hours and 20 minutes to make, which was not true at all.  Breaking up all the little balls took a long time, then rolling them in the butter and sugar.  I think the whole process took me just over 3 hours.  They were good though!  And I will definitely be making them again.