Christmas Morning Cinnamon Buns
I love these cinnamon buns. In fact, I love them so much I have to show some restraint. I’m afraid to make them too often otherwise I would easily get carried away with their delicious goodness and not follow the “nothing in excess” rule. That’s why I only make them on Christmas morning.
Simple to prepare, these cinnamon buns start with frozen puff pastry which means no dough to make, no waiting for it to rise, and no rolling pin needed. Then the pastry is filled with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, golden raisins or dried cranberries, and pecans. You’ll find them unbelievably gooey and crisp at the same time at your house this Christmas.
- 1 1⁄2 sticks butter (12 tablespoons), at room temperature
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1⁄2 cup pecans, chopped
- Pinch salt
For the topping:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 12 cup standard sized muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter, brown sugar, salt and pecans. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Set prepared muffin tin aside.
For the buns and filling:
Lightly flour a wooden board. Unfold a sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1⁄2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1⁄4 cup cranberries or raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1⁄2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces. Please each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 buns.
Place muffin pan on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the sticky buns are golden on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, invert buns onto the parchment paper. Ease the pecan topping out onto the buns with a spoon and cool completely.