Holiday Favorites: Christmas Morning Cinnamon Buns

Every year since Matt and I first were married, I have made Cinnamon Buns on Christmas Morning. This is my favorite recipe, and I have used it for over a decade. I have a few little tips for making it easy, because as delicious as cinnamon buns are, no one wants to be slaving away in the kitchen on Christmas morning! We like to sit around and drink coffee while the kids explore their stockings and open gifts, eat oranges and then snack on cinnamon buns.

I’m so excited to be a part of this recipe blog hop hosted by Jo-Anna of A Pretty Life in the Suburbs along with so many talented Canadian Bloggers. Our hope is that you can find a few delicious recipes to tuck away for the holidays. I am most definitely not a food blogger, but I do love to cook and bake!

Before we get started, here are a few tips that will make this recipe fast and no fail:

• Mix up your dough in a bread maker. So. Simple.
• Make sure you use fresh yeast
• Mix everything up on Christmas Eve (I either throw everything in the breadmaker to mix while we are at Christmas Eve Service, or start the mixer while Matt and I fill stockings and do our last minute gift wrapping on Christmas Eve) then do all the prep and put the cinnamon rolls covered, uncooked in the fridge.
• Pull the cinnamon rolls out when you wake up and allow to rise on the stove top while your oven preheats. Then just slip them in the oven.

These Cinnamon Buns are gooey, fluffy and delicious. They’re the perfect treat for celebrating, and would be lovely for brunch too. Eat them as is, or top with a cream cheese icing.

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Buns

Dough

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 package of instant vanilla pudding mix (the secret ingredient!)
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups of unbleached bread flour, or 2 cups whole wheat, 2 cups of unbleached white
• 1 package of active dry yeast (.25oz)

Cinnamon Filling

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 tsps cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F, prepare a 9×13 baking dish.

Step 1: Mix Dough

Add ingredients to bread machine in order shown. Make a small well in centre of flour for yeast. Select dough setting and hit start. The dough setting on my bread machine lasts 1 hr 30 mins. If you do not have a bread machine, you can mix the dough, knead, cover and allow to rise, then punch down. Allow to rise again until double and then punch down. The bread machine really does make this easy though!

Step 2: Roll Out Dough

When dough cycle is complete, turn dough out on floured surface. Roll out into a 17×10 inch rectangle, give our take.

Step 3: Add Filling

Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spread soft butter across surface of dough, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar mix on top. At this time you can also butter a 9×13 pan. I also like to sprinkle the bottom of the pan with some of the cinnamon sugar mix.

Step 4: Roll Up Dough

Roll the dough into a log, and mark 16 1inch slices. I like to cut my slices using dental floss, as this gives a nice clean cut! I was out when I made these- but try it, because it is so easy and you get perfect little slices. Place the slices in your greased baking dish.

Step 5: Allow Dough to Rise

Cover the dough and allow to rise until doubled, approx. 45 mins if the dough is room temperature, or 1.5 hrs if you stored it in the fridge over night.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 15-20 mins. Feel free to add a glaze or cream cheese icing for an extra decadent treat.

I’m hoping to give this a try as a gluten free recipe this year, since I can no longer eat flour. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes if I try it.

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Do you have a special breakfast item you make every year? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Be sure to stop by the other participants blogs to get even more delicious recipes, you can find them all linked below. If you are new here- thanks so much for stopping by!

-Miss Ash

Christmas Morning Smoothie by Alex of Northstory

Cinnamon Christmas Breakfast Wreath by Christina of The DIY Mommy

Overnight Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole by Jo-Anna of A Pretty Life

Eggnog Brioche French Toast Bake Recipe by Janella of Ma Belle Vie

Breakfast Toast Bar by Brittany of My Daily Randomness

Pomegranate Cranberry Mimosas by Krista of Happy Housie

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Buns by Ashlea of This Mamas Dance

Christmas Apple Cranberry Cobbler by Robin of Frugal Family Times

Candy Cane French Toast Kabobs by Jenn of Clean & Scentsible

Swedish Tea Ring by Rita of Harbour Breeze Home

Cranberry Banana Muffins by Shannon of AKA Design

Breakfast Enchiladas by Tara of Suburble

Cranberry Pear French Toast with Vanilla Cream Sauce by Kendra of Joy In Our Home

Christmas Morning Breakfast Quiche by Sara of The Project Pile

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