Best Oprahs Cinnamon Buns Recipes

OOEY-GOOEY CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cup flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• While dough is rising, melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/2 cup pecans; set aside. Melt remaining butter; set aside. Combine remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, and cinnamon; set aside.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll into an 18x14 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, leaving 1/2 inch border uncovered; sprinkle with brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Starting at long side, tightly roll up, pinching seam to seal. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. With serrated knife, cut into 15 pieces; place cut side down, in prepared pan. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Scrape remaining filling from the pan onto the rolls.

BEST CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm milk. In another bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Punch down dough; divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion into an 11x8-in. rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 8 slices; place in a greased 13x9-in. pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°., Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks., For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until blended; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over tops. Refrigerate leftovers.

GLAZED CINNAMON-CARDAMOM BUNS

Steps:

• For the Dough:
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over low until just warm; an instant-read thermometer should register 105°F-115°F. Pour into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in yeast and let sit until foamy, 10-15 minutes. You should see a layer of foam on the surface; this means that the yeast is active.
• Add egg, egg yolk, flour, granulated sugar, cardamom, and salt to yeast mixture and mix with dough hook on low speed until well combined. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Gradually add butter 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing to incorporate slightly before adding more. When 6 Tbsp. butter are incorporated, mix until dough is smooth, supple, and shiny, 10-15 minutes longer (you need to mix this long to develop the gluten).
• Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down, cover bowl tightly in plastic wrap, and chill overnight (the slow proof creates more flavor because it gives the yeast more time to process the sugar).
• For the Filling and Assembly:
• Mix butter, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a medium bowl until combined.
• Have your tools and filling nearby; you want to work quickly and keep dough as chilled as possible to make rolling more manageable. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and roll to a 1/4"-thick rectangle, about 16"x12". Cover with plastic and chill until dough is firm, 30-60 minutes.
• Spread butter mixture over two-thirds of dough. Fold plain side over the middle, then fold opposite third over (like folding an envelope). Roll to a 12"x8" rectangle about 1/2" thick. Slice lengthwise into eight 1"-thick strips.
• Working one at a time, lay strip on clean work surface with long side facing you. Using your palms, gently twist each end in opposite directions until entire strip is spiraled. Hold one end of strip between a thumb and index finger. Working away from you, tightly wrap strip around 3 fingers. Wrap around fingers again, placing second loop closer to the palm of your hand. As you bring strip across the back of your hand, cross over first loop, angling toward the end of your index finger. Cross dough over front of your hand and tuck the end into the center while removing your fingers and pushing through to the other side to create a knot. Check out step-by-step photos here. You want to twist these tightly so that they rise while baking. If you're having trouble, twist them into any kind of knot that you can-just make sure it's wrapped tightly.
• Divide cinnamon twists between 2 rimmed baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Bake cinnamon buns, rotating pans from top to bottom halfway through, until deeply golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
• Bring remaining 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Generously brush syrup over hot buns. If you like a sweeter pastry, wait 5 minutes, then brush again.
• Do Ahead: Buns can be made 2 days ahead. Tightly wrap with plastic and store at room temperature.

QUICK AND EASY CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave.
• Lightly grease a large baking tray with the extra butter.
• To make the glaze, mix 3 tablespoons of the melted butter in a bowl with the icing sugar and vanilla paste. Add the boiling water and 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk and stir to combine. Cover and chill.
• To make the cinnamon filling, mix 3 tablespoons of the melted butter with the cinnamon, mixed spice and both types of sugar. Add a pinch of salt, then stir the mixture together until it resembles wet sand. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl and add a generous pinch of salt. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the remaining melted butter and the rest of the buttermilk. Stir with a rubber spatula until fully combined. The dough might seem dry, but keep stirring until the dry ingredients absorb the wet - the dough will be shaggy, not smooth, at this point.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes. When ready, the dough will look smooth and have a slight shine, and you will feel it is more elastic. Flour the work surface again and pat the dough out to a rough 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in) rectangle. Sprinkle the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a rough 1 cm (½ in) border. Press the filling into the dough. Roll up the dough lengthways up as tightly as you can, to form a long sausage shape. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
• Transfer the buns to the prepared tray, cut-side up, leaving about 2 cm (¾ in) between each. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed up, golden and sticky. Cool for 30 minutes, then remove the glaze from the refrigerator and spread over the buns. Serve immediately or let the glaze set.
• Make ahead
• Make the glaze first and leave it to stand in the refrigerator. As the glaze cools, the butter begins to set and thicken, so it resembles a cream-cheese frosting. Make the buns a day ahead and reheat in the oven without the glaze.
• The shortcut
• No yeast translates to 1 ½ hours of your life back. You're welcome. Pat the dough out; don't bother dirtying your rolling pin.