From-the-Freezer Cinnamon Buns
By Camila ChaparroPublished on May 2, 2025
Time
1¾ hours, plus 1 hour 40 minutes rising and freezing
Yield
6 buns
Ingredients
Flour Paste
⅓ cup water 2 tablespoons bread flourDough
⅓ cup milk 1 large egg yolk 1½ cups (8¼ ounces) bread flour 1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon table salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softenedVegetable oil sprayFiling
3⁄4 cup packed (5¼ ounces) light brown sugar 2¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon table salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedBefore You Begin
We developed this recipe using a 4.5-quart tilt-head stand mixer; we recommend using a mixer with a capacity of 5 quarts or less. If you use a larger stand mixer, note that kneading times will be longer and may not follow given visual cues. You can bake the cinnamon buns without freezing if you prefer: Place all the buns in the foil cups as instructed in step 7, cover loosely with greased plastic, and let rise until puffy, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Proceed with baking as instructed, reducing the bake time to 25 to 30 minutes.
Instructions
- Whisk water and flour in small bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, pasty consistency, 40 to 60 seconds.
- Whisk flour paste and milk in bowl of stand mixer until smooth. Add egg yolk and whisk until incorporated. Add flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, about 2 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Add granulated sugar and salt and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. With mixer running, add butter and mix until butter is incorporated and dough clears sides of bowl (dough will stick to bottom of bowl), 5 to 7 minutes, scraping down dough hook and side of bowl halfway through mixing.
- Transfer dough to clean counter and knead by hand to form ball. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container. Lightly spray surface of dough with oil spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until just doubled in volume, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter; press gently but firmly to expel air. Working from center toward edge, pat and roll dough to form 12-inch square. Brush melted butter evenly over dough, leaving 1-inch border along top edge. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over butter, then smooth into even layer with your hand and gently press mixture into dough to adhere.
- Roll dough away from you into tight cylinder; pinch seam to seal. Roll cylinder seam side down; using serrated knife, cut into 6 equal pieces. Transfer buns cut side down to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic; freeze buns until solid, at least 1 hour. Transfer buns to zipper-lock bag and store in freezer for up to 1 month.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut one 6-inch square of aluminum foil for each cinnamon bun you plan on baking. Working with 1 square at a time, press into cup of standard muffin tin, creasing foil to form cup that holds its shape when removed from tin. Spray interiors of foil cups with oil spray and place on parchment-lined sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Place 1 frozen bun in each foil cup and bake until golden brown and center of dough registers at least 200 degrees, 34 to 38 minutes.
- Transfer sheet to wire rack and let buns cool for 5 minutes. Remove foil from buns and serve warm.FOR SOUR CREAM GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons (1½ ounces) confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Spoon over warm buns. This makes enough glaze for two buns but can easily be doubled or tripled.
for the flour paste
for the dough
for the filling
to bake
Time
1¾ hours, plus 1 hour 40 minutes rising and freezingYield
6 bunsIngredients
Flour Paste
Dough
Filing
Ingredients
Flour Paste
Dough
Filing
Ingredients
Flour Paste
Dough
Filing
Why This Recipe Works
It’s a familiar scene: a casserole of fused pillowy warm cinnamon buns, brilliantly frosted and ready for lots of hungry guests to pull apart. It’s hard to beat fresh-from-the-oven buns, but what about when you don’t have a host of hungry guests? That’s what led us to develop cinnamon buns that you could store in the freezer and then bake when you need them. We shape and fill individual pieces of dough and freeze them until they’re solid. When it’s time to bake, we fashion aluminum foil cups to hold the frozen buns so we can bake off just the number we want. (For a bakery look, you can make a parchment-paper cup to fit inside the foil; remove the foil cups before serving to reveal the parchment wrapping.)
Before You Begin
We developed this recipe using a 4.5-quart tilt-head stand mixer; we recommend using a mixer with a capacity of 5 quarts or less. If you use a larger stand mixer, note that kneading times will be longer and may not follow given visual cues. You can bake the cinnamon buns without freezing if you prefer: Place all the buns in the foil cups as instructed in step 7, cover loosely with greased plastic, and let rise until puffy, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Proceed with baking as instructed, reducing the bake time to 25 to 30 minutes.
Instructions
- Whisk water and flour in small bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, pasty consistency, 40 to 60 seconds.
- Whisk flour paste and milk in bowl of stand mixer until smooth. Add egg yolk and whisk until incorporated. Add flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, about 2 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Add granulated sugar and salt and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. With mixer running, add butter and mix until butter is incorporated and dough clears sides of bowl (dough will stick to bottom of bowl), 5 to 7 minutes, scraping down dough hook and side of bowl halfway through mixing.
- Transfer dough to clean counter and knead by hand to form ball. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container. Lightly spray surface of dough with oil spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until just doubled in volume, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter; press gently but firmly to expel air. Working from center toward edge, pat and roll dough to form 12-inch square. Brush melted butter evenly over dough, leaving 1-inch border along top edge. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over butter, then smooth into even layer with your hand and gently press mixture into dough to adhere.
- Roll dough away from you into tight cylinder; pinch seam to seal. Roll cylinder seam side down; using serrated knife, cut into 6 equal pieces. Transfer buns cut side down to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic; freeze buns until solid, at least 1 hour. Transfer buns to zipper-lock bag and store in freezer for up to 1 month.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut one 6-inch square of aluminum foil for each cinnamon bun you plan on baking. Working with 1 square at a time, press into cup of standard muffin tin, creasing foil to form cup that holds its shape when removed from tin. Spray interiors of foil cups with oil spray and place on parchment-lined sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Place 1 frozen bun in each foil cup and bake until golden brown and center of dough registers at least 200 degrees, 34 to 38 minutes.
- Transfer sheet to wire rack and let buns cool for 5 minutes. Remove foil from buns and serve warm.FOR SOUR CREAM GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons (1½ ounces) confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Spoon over warm buns. This makes enough glaze for two buns but can easily be doubled or tripled.
for the flour paste
for the dough
for the filling
to bake
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