A couple of weeks ago, Winter Storm Uri dumped ice and snow from Texas to Tennessee and beyond. My sister is in Memphis and my niece, Jennifer, the baking queen in our family, lives in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
When you are snowed in and you are fortunate enough to have power, what is a baker to do? Bake, of course.
Jennifer and her husband are photographers by trade, and when you can’t go to photoshoots, baking seems like a great option. Of course, her husband, Marty, volunteered to be the taste tester. Such a generous offer!
Jennifer whipped up some cinnamon buns and down here in Georgia, while it was raining cats and dogs, I was drooling at her results. I’m sharing this recipe with you because neither rain, sleet, snow, nor hail will keep me from trying these mouthwatering cinnamon buns.
Ingredients:
6 and 1/2 Tbls. sugar
1 tsp. salt
5 1/2 T shortening or butter, room temperature*
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. lemon extract or zest of one lemon*
3 1/2 cups unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
2 tsp. instant yeast*
1 1/8 – 1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature*
1/2 cups cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 Tbls. sugar + 1 1/2 Tbls. cinnamon)
Instructions:
1. Cream together sugar, salt and shortening (or butter) on medium-high speed in electric mixer with paddle attachment or beat with a metal spoon in large bowl.
2. Whip in the egg and lemon until smooth. Then add flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase speed to medium, mixing appx. 10 mins (or knead by hand 12-15 mins) until dough is silky, tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little water or flour while kneading to achieve the texture.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough to bowl and roll to coat.
4. Let rise at room temperature for approximately 2 hours or until dough has doubled in size. (Those with bread proof setting on their oven, rock it out!)
5. Mist counter with oil and transfer dough to counter.
6. Roll dough to 2/3” thick in 14″ x 12″ rectangle for large buns or 18″ x 9″ for smaller buns. Don’t roll dough too thin! Nobody likes tough, chewy buns; soft and plump preferred.
7. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over top and roll in a cigar-like roll, seam side down.
8. Cut into 8-12 pieces at 1 3/4” thick for big buns and 12-16 pieces at 1 1/4” thick for smaller buns.
9. Proof at room temperature for 75-90 minutes or until buns have grown together and nearly doubled in size. (You may also store the shaped buns in the fridge, pulling out pan 3-4 hours before baking, allowing dough time to proof).
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool buns for 10 minutes in pan and streak with glaze. Wait 20 mins before serving.
*shortening or butter? Personal preference. I used butter, most important here is its room temperature.
*lemon extract vs. lemon zest – I much prefer lemon zest…more subtle flavor.
*Instant yeast – I don’t bake with it, so I heated my milk to 110 degrees and dissolved active dry yeast.
*whole milk vs. buttermilk – I can see where buttermilk would add an extra layer of flavor but I was out of buttermilk.
Cinnamon bun glaze
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbls. – 1/2 c warm milk
1 tsp. orange or lemon extract
Instructions:
Sift sugar into bowl. Add 1 tsp. of orange or lemon extract and between 6 Tbls. -1/2 cup of milk.
Whisk briskly until all sugar is dissolved. (Add the milk slowly and only as much needed to make a thick, smooth paste.)
I volunteered to be a taste tester 
for these cinnamon buns because I have years of experience. Our family has a Christmas tradition started by my son several years ago of making a version of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. They are truly drool-worthy as I’m sure are Jennifer’s cinnamon buns. Alas, the distance made it impossible for me to know for certain but I will try this recipe in my own kitchen, snowstorm or not.
