Cinnamon-Walnut Buns

If you are like me and you enjoy playing with dough and baking, you will love this recipe. These buns are such great breakfast/brunch treats. Super delicious and moist, perfectly paired with refreshing yogurt “frosting”.

Time to read: 5 mins | Time to make: 1 h + resting and proofing | Yields: 9 servings

Ingredients

DOUGH:

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole or soy milk

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp (7 g) active dry yeast

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 tbsp honey

• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 2/3 cups (210 g) bread flour

• 2 cups (264 g) whole wheat flour

• 1 tsp kosher salt

FILLING:

• 5 tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 2/3 cup (80 g) coconut sugar

• 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup (56 g) walnuts, chopped

FROSTING:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Method

Make the dough:

1. Warm milk in a small pot over medium heat until it’s warm to the touch but not simmering. Add 1 tbsp sugar and the yeast, mix to dissolve, and break up any clumps. Let sit until starting to bubble, about 5 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, add all dough ingredients and activated yeast mixture and, with a wooden spoon stir to combine. Continue to mix until flour is completely incorporated, about 5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add flour, 1 tbsp at a time until the dough is smooth to touch.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until the dough has about doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Filling & shaping the rolls:

1.  In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Butter a 9×9 inch baking dish.

2. Punch dough down to release any air that has built up.

3. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured work surface into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread the butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and walnuts in an even layer, patting to make sure it’s sticking.

4. Starting at the end closest to you (the long side of the dough), roll the dough up into a tight coil, pressing lightly as you roll to make sure there are no gaps between the dough and the filling.

5. Cut log into 9 even pieces. Arrange rolls in prepared baking dish making sure spiral facing upward and leaving space in between each piece. (At this point, the rolls can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight, if you'd like.)

6. Cover rolls lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm area until the rolls have puffed, about 1 hour. (If you refrigerated the rolls overnight, this may take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.)

7. Heat oven to 350° F (180° C). Place rolls in the oven and bake until they are golden brown and fluffy and the sugar has started to bubble up around the edges, caramelizing on the sides of the buns, about 30-35 minutes.

"Frosting":

1. Combine yogurt and vanilla protein. Depending on your protein, you might need to thin with a little bit of water to get the desired consistency.

2. Once rolls are out of the oven, drizzle with the frosting and let cool slightly in the pan before digging in.

Notes

To Make Ahead: Prepare the rolls through step 5. Do not let the rolls rise at room temp. Cover the rolls and place them in the fridge (up to overnight). When ready to bake, remove the rolls from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake as directed.

To Prepare and Freeze: assemble the rolls through step 5. Then cover the pan and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the rolls overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours. Once thawed, bake as directed.

Nutrition facts, per bun:

Energy: 400 kcal | Carbs: 58 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 14 g