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Ingredients
Dough
1 package (or 1
tablespoon) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons butter,
melted
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
2 1/2 cups flour, plus
more as necessary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Cinnamon-Sugar
Filling
(Note: Make up to
3 batches of filling as needed - see recipe for
details.)
1/3 cup packed light
brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter,
melted
Vanilla Glaze
1 3/4 cups
confectioner's (powdered) sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
water as needed to thin
glaze
Directions
Dough
Pour warm water into an
electric mixer bowl, then sprinkle yeast over water.
Allow to sit and dissolve for 5-10 minutes. Add butter, sour
cream, sugar, egg and vanilla extract to bowl, then
insert bread hook attachment to electric mixer. Mix on
low-medium until well-blended and creamy.
In a separate medium
mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking
soda. Add flour mixture to electric mixer
ingredients and mix on low until incorporated.
Increase speed to low-medium and continue mixing
until dough becomes smooth and pliable. If dough
sticks to the side of the bowl, add 1 tablespoon of
flour and mix into dough. Continue adding 1
tablespoon of flour at a time (thoroughly mixing in
after each addition) just until dough
doesn't stick to the bowl or your fingers and is
still soft and pliable. Remove dough and transfer to
a lightly floured work station.
Knead the dough (press
and fold the dough into itself repeatedly) for about
3-5 minutes. Sprinkle
small amounts of flour to work surface and dough as
needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands or work surface. Oil
a large glass bowl, then form dough into a ball.
Place ball of dough in oiled bowl, turning to coat
entire surface of dough ball with oil. Cover bowl with plastic
wrap and allow to sit in a warm place until dough
doubles in size (about 1 hour).
After dough has doubled
in size, transfer to lightly floured work surface.
Press dough down, then form into a smooth long
cylinder shape (about 12-14 inches long). Using a sharp knife or
pastry scraper/chopper,
cut dough into 12 equal portions. Cut each of
the 12 portions into 6 smaller portions. Form each
small portion of dough into little balls, spacing
balls so they don't touch each other (dough tends to
stick to itself).
Preheat oven to 350°
F. Make sure the center rack has enough room above
it for the muffins to rise. Grease or spray a
12-muffin (for regular-sized muffins, not large)
baking sheet with nonstick spray and place near work
area.
Cinnamon Sugar
Filling
In a small mixing bowl, mix sugar
and cinnamon. Place melted butter in a separate
small shallow bowl. Roll each ball in the melted
butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture
until thoroughly coated.
[Note: You can make up
to 3 batches of the Cinnamon-Sugar filling,
depending on how much you use to coat the dough
balls (and how much you prefer in your buns). Make extra batches only as needed - do not
make a large batch all at once, because the cinnamon-sugar mixture will become too buttery and sticky,
making it difficult to coat dough balls. Photo above
used 3 batches to create cinnamon filling shown.]
Arrange 5 balls in the
bottom of a muffin cup, gently moving balls as
necessary to make them fit. Make a small well in the
center of the 5 balls by gently pressing down with
your fingers. Roll one last ball in the butter then
in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then place it in the
well. Continue this process until all muffin cups
have been filled.
Bake muffins on center
rack for 20-22 minutes. Place a cooling rack in work
area with a sheet of wax paper placed underneath.
Remove muffins from the oven and place entire muffin
sheet on cooling rack. Allow muffins to cool for
about 5-8 minutes. Once cooled, loosen sides of muffins with your
fingers or by inserting a table knife into the sides
if necessary, then carefully remove muffins (while
holding all sections in place) and
place on them on the cooling rack.
Vanilla Glaze
Mix all Vanilla Glaze
ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon
of water as needed to create a
consistency that will allow you to easily brush
glaze onto muffins (mixing water in thoroughly after
each addition). Using a soft
pastry brush, apply
the glaze to the tops of muffins. After glaze cools,
it will help hold the muffin sections together. Eat
warm or cooled. Store in an air-tight container
after completely cooled and glaze has dried and set.
To warm muffins, reheat in microwave oven for 10-20
seconds. May also be frozen. |
