Texas-sized Cinnamon Buns

These Texas Sized Cinnamon Buns are big…like Texas big!  They make for a great weekend brunch treat!

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I’m a Southern boy.  I was born in Texas and grew up in the Carolinas.  Then I spent several years in both Louisiana and Georgia.  So what am I doing living in upstate New York?  Just kidding!  My wife and I have been up here for about 2.5 years now, and we’ve had a blast exploring the area.  From afternoon outings at the Saratoga Race Track to weekend adventures through Vermont, the Northeast certainly has plenty to explore.

But often we get so caught up planning a vacation that we forget that some of the best things are right under our noses!  For example, a friend just recently opened a bakery in the village of Round Lake, NY.  Now I’ve been in plenty of bakeries in my time, some very good and some very bad.  Leah’s Cakery absolutely lands in the top tier of my bakery list.  (Which is good since it’s only about 5 minutes from my house!)  

Round Lake Village is small.  Really small.  I’m talking like a population of 627.  As other communities grew and expanded over time, somehow this little village maintained that quintessential charm that can be found in so many small towns.  In fact, I believe Leah’s Cakery is just one of two businesses in the entire town!

Once a general store, Leah purchased and renovated the bakery space largely by herself and with the help of friends.  And keeping with the history of the place, she decorated the space in a rustic style.  For example, she used old flour sacks in place of cupboard doors.  And she turned old metal colanders into hanging lights.  

This bakery certainly has the home-town, comfortable feel…and I haven’t even gotten to her specialty baked goods, yet!  One of my absolute favorite treats from Leah’s is her cinnamon buns, which I have nicknamed Texas-sized Cinnamon Buns…mainly because they are almost the size of Texas!

Cinnamon buns have long been one of my favorite breakfast treats.  I think I’ve eaten enough cinnamon buns in my life to earn the title “bun-connoisseur.”  (Hah…if only that were a real title!)

These Texas-sized Cinnamon Buns from Leah’s Cakery are incredible!  In fact, I told my wife a couple of weeks ago that they might very well be the best cinnamon bun I’ve ever eaten.  They’re that good.  But it gets better!  Leah was kinda enough to invite me into her bakery to photograph the behind-the-scenes cinnamon bun magic…and she even let me share the recipe.  

Leah makes 48 of these buns every day, but this version of the recipe has been scaled back to make 6.  You don’t really want 48 Texas-sized Cinnamon Buns in your kitchen, do you?  Ok, nevermind.  Don’t answer that.  Just multiple this recipe by 8, and you’re good to go.

So now that Fall is right around the corner and it’s time to turn our attention to Fall baking, keep these Texas-sized Cinnamon Buns at the top of your list!  And if you happen to live near upstate New York (or if you travel near here on vacation), then put a stop at Leah’s Cakery in Round Lake, NY on your itinerary.  But don’t order the last cinnamon roll…that’s reserved for me!

Texas-sized Cinnamon Buns

These Texas Sized Cinnamon Buns are big…like Texas big!  They make for a great weekend brunch treat!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Rising Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 buns

Calories: 750kcal

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Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2½ tsp active dry yeast
• ¼ cup + ¼ tsp granulated sugar
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted + more for bowl
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1½ tsp vanilla
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg

Filling Ingredients

• All-purpose flour for dusting
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter + more for pan softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100 degrees F. Remove from heat and sprinkle yeast and 1/4 tsp sugar on top. (Don’t stir it in.) Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla.
• In the bowl of a countertop mixer with the dough hook attached, add the flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until combined. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until thick and slightly sticky. Increase to medium speed and mix for 6 minutes, or until dough gathers around the hook.
• Remove the dough and shape into a large ball. Lightly butter the mixing bowl, and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured countertop, and roll the dough into a 12×14-inch rectangle with the longer side facing you.
• Spread the softened (not melted!) butter evenly across the top of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the far long edge. Combine the cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle evenly over the butter.
• Brush the unbuttered far edge with water. Roll the dough away from you into a tight cylinder and pinch along the long edge to seal.
• Cut the cylinder with a sharp knife into 6 equal-sized buns. Gently shape the rolls into rounds and place on a well-buttered sheet pan, leaving space between each bun. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
• While the buns are cooling, make the glaze by sifting the confectioner’s sugar into a bowl. Whisk in the cream and melted butter.
• Transfer the buns onto a cookie rack and spoon the glaze on top while still warm.

Notes

Part of this recipe can be made 1 day in advance. In Step 7, after placing the buns on the pan, simply cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, allow the dough to rest (lightly covered) in a warm location (like an 80-85 degree oven) for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Proceed with Step 8.