orange cinnamon buns with cream cheese glaze
Orange-cinnamon, gooey decadence.
These are perfect to cure any type of rainy day somberness, morning headache, or the weekend blues.
Fortunately, the dough recipe creates two batches, so you can freeze half the dough for another time. Or just have 20 cinnamon buns. That's okay too.
This weekend I successfully managed to acquire reservations at 2 restaurants I have been dying to try: Coqueta and State Bird Provisions. Both places offer small dishes which are the most fun kinds of dining experiences. You get to try several of the menu's offerings, probably all differing wildly from one another.
I think eating out is one of my favorite hobbies. An expensive one for sure. San Francisco offers such incredible places to eat spanning all over the city, and varying from a multitude of ethnic spots, classic neighborhood joints, and fancy fusions. I have never once thought there is nothing to eat around here, there is nowhere to go.
I had a big, fluffy cinnamon donut a few weeks ago and only thought about how I wanted a gooey cinnamon bun. These are to die for and I can't wait to whip out the extra batch of dough from the freezer when my sister comes to visit next month.
orange cinnamon buns with cream cheese glaze
For the buns:
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tsp honey
4 1/2 cups warm water
7 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt
vegetable oil for oiling the bowl
1/3 cup brown sugar
For the orange cinnamon filling:
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp orange zest
juice from 1 orange
For the cream cheese glaze: (you will have extra)
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp almond milk or whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
To prepare the dough, add the yeast, honey, and warm water in a large bowl. Stir. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Then add 5 cups of flour, mix. Continue to add the flour cup by cup, mixing until your form a sticky dough. When the dough becomes stiff, transfer in the shape of a ball to a well-floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes. Place in a well-oiled bowl and cover with saran wrap. Let rise for 90-120 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the cinnamon, sugar, and orange zest. Squeeze the juice from the orange to a separate small bowl. Then prepare the cream cheese glaze. Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. Beat until well combined and fluffy. You may also add the ingredients to a blender and pulse until ready (I used my Ninja!)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking pan or dutch oven. When the dough is ready, cut in half with a dough cutter. Roll out onto the well-floured work surface into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the surface of the flattened dough. With a spoon, spread a little by little of the orange juice onto the cinnamon sugar. Press with your fingertips to create a paste. Evenly spread all over the rectangle. You will use almost all of the orange juice.
Roll the dough lengthwise, creating a log. Cut into 8 or 9 rolls about 3 to 4 inches long. Place the buns with one cinnamon swirl side up in the buttered pan. Place them a half an inch or so apart. They will bake into each other, it's okay! Bake in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Top with cream cheese glaze, and eat one. or two. Enjoy!
