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Brian Sunter

BA Morning Buns

Bon Appetit's best morning buns — yeasted dough rolled with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and honey, baked in muffin tins until golden.

via bonappetit.com

25 minutes cook 30 minutes prep 9 hours total 24 servings by Claire Saffitz
breakfast baking pastry bun
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1.25 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 3.50 cups bread flour
  • 0.75 cup honey
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.75 tsp ground cardamom
  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter
  • — nonstick spray
  • — sanding sugar

Equipment

  • stand mixer
  • small saucepan
  • parchment paper
  • rimmed baking sheet
  • muffin pans
  • oven
  • wire rack

About

This recipe halves easily. The dough needs an overnight chill (8-16 hours).

Instructions

Make the Dough

1

Whisk 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2.25 tsp), 1 cup whole milk (warmed), and 1 tsp honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes .

2

Add 3 large egg whites , 2 cups bread flour , and additional 0.25 cup honey . Beat on medium-high until the mixture is very light and thick, about 3 minutes . Scrape mixture back into the bottom of the bowl.

3

Sprinkle 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1.50 cups bread flour over the top — do not stir. Place the bowl in a warm spot uncovered until the mixture bubbles up around the flour, about 30-40 minutes .

4

Add 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt , 2 tsp orange zest (optional), 2 tsp vanilla extract , 4 large egg yolks (from the separated eggs plus 1 extra yolk), and 0.25 cup whole milk (chilled). Mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms.

5

Increase to medium speed and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. If still very sticky after 5 minutes, add bread flour a tablespoon at a time until just tacky.

6

Reduce to medium-low and add 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, room temperature, cut into pieces) one piece at a time, letting each absorb fully before adding the next.

7

Cover and chill for 8-16 hours .

Make the Filling

8

Cook 0.75 cup light brown sugar , 1 tbsp ground cinnamon , 0.75 tsp ground cardamom , 0.25 cup honey , and 8 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Let cool.

Shape the Buns

9

Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half; return one piece to the bowl, cover, and chill.

10

Roll the remaining piece on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper to a rough 16x12 inch rectangle. Spread half the brown sugar mixture over the dough. Starting from a long side closest to you, roll into a tight log, using the parchment to help.

11

Place seam side down on a rimmed baking sheet and chill until firm, about 20-30 minutes . Repeat with the second half of dough and remaining filling.

12

Spray the cups of two 12-cup muffin pans with nonstick spray .

13

Trim the chilled logs about 1/2 inch from the ends. Cut each log on a slight diagonal into 12 equal pieces. Place cut side up in the prepared muffin cups. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until puffed and expanded to the edges of the cups, about 25-35 minutes .

Bake

14

Preheat the oven to 350 °F with a rack in the center.

15

Bake the buns, rotating pans once, until golden brown all over, about 20-25 minutes .

Glaze

16

While the buns bake, heat 4 tbsp unsalted butter and 0.25 cup honey in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

17

Pull the buns from the oven and brush tops with the butter-honey mixture. Sprinkle with sanding sugar .

18

Transfer buns to a wire rack immediately — if the sugar cools in the pan it will harden and stick. Let cool.

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: BA Morning Buns
description: "Bon Appetit's best morning buns — yeasted dough rolled with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and honey, baked in muffin tins until golden."
servings: 24
total time: 9 hours
prep time: 30 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes
tags: [baking, breakfast, pastry, bun]
cuisine: American
difficulty: hard
source: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/bas-best-morning-buns
author: Claire Saffitz
longDescription: "This recipe halves easily. The dough needs an overnight chill (8-16 hours)."
---

== Make the Dough ==

Whisk @active dry yeast{1%packet} (about 2.25 tsp), @whole milk{1%cup} (warmed), and @honey{1%tsp} in the bowl of a #stand mixer{} fitted with the paddle attachment. Let sit until foamy, about ~proofing{5%minutes}.

Add @large egg whites{3}, @bread flour{2%cups}, and additional @honey{1/4%cup}. Beat on medium-high until the mixture is very light and thick, about ~mixing{3%minutes}. Scrape mixture back into the bottom of the bowl.

Sprinkle @whole wheat flour{1%cup} and @bread flour{1 1/2%cups} over the top — do not stir. Place the bowl in a warm spot uncovered until the mixture bubbles up around the flour, about ~resting{30-40%minutes}.

Add @Diamond Crystal kosher salt{2%tsp}, @orange zest{2%tsp} (optional), @vanilla extract{2%tsp}, @large egg yolks{4} (from the separated eggs plus 1 extra yolk), and @whole milk{1/4%cup} (chilled). Mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms.

Increase to medium speed and knead for ~kneading{8-10%minutes} until smooth, soft, and elastic. If still very sticky after 5 minutes, add bread flour a tablespoon at a time until just tacky.

Reduce to medium-low and add @unsalted butter{1%cup} (2 sticks, room temperature, cut into pieces) one piece at a time, letting each absorb fully before adding the next.

Cover and chill for ~chill{8-16%hours}.

== Make the Filling ==

Cook @light brown sugar{3/4%cup}, @ground cinnamon{1%tbsp}, @ground cardamom{3/4%tsp}, @honey{1/4%cup}, and @unsalted butter{8%tbsp} in a #small saucepan{} over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Let cool.

== Shape the Buns ==

Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half; return one piece to the bowl, cover, and chill.

Roll the remaining piece on a sheet of lightly floured #parchment paper{} to a rough 16x12 inch rectangle. Spread half the brown sugar mixture over the dough. Starting from a long side closest to you, roll into a tight log, using the parchment to help.

> If the dough gets too warm or sticky, slide it onto a baking sheet and chill until firm.

Place seam side down on a #rimmed baking sheet{} and chill until firm, about ~chill{20-30%minutes}. Repeat with the second half of dough and remaining filling.

Spray the cups of two 12-cup #muffin pans{} with @nonstick spray{}.

Trim the chilled logs about 1/2 inch from the ends. Cut each log on a slight diagonal into 12 equal pieces. Place cut side up in the prepared muffin cups. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until puffed and expanded to the edges of the cups, about ~proofing{25-35%minutes}.

== Bake ==

Preheat the #oven{} to 350°F with a rack in the center.

Bake the buns, rotating pans once, until golden brown all over, about ~baking{20-25%minutes}.

== Glaze ==

While the buns bake, heat @unsalted butter{4%tbsp} and @honey{1/4%cup} in a #small saucepan{} over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Pull the buns from the oven and brush tops with the butter-honey mixture. Sprinkle with @sanding sugar{}.

Transfer buns to a #wire rack{} immediately — if the sugar cools in the pan it will harden and stick. Let cool.