Mom’s Homemade Cinnamon Buns Recipe is our Christmas Brunch Staple
My daughters love my mom’s cinnamon buns. I rarely make them, as she always has them made about when I start thinking about it during the holiday season. Yet, I made them often enough when the girls were younger that I am confident and competent in the “how to’s” and make a mighty fine pan of yeasty cinnamon lusciousness if I do say so myself. I would like to say mom taught me, but she didn’t.
Watching her make them so many times during my childhood let me give it a go so many years ago.
Mom made bread. Not often, as she was a working mom, but often enough. Certainly, a few times a year and always at Christmas. When she would knead a massive mound of dough, the last portion would be rolled into cinnamon buns. There might be loaves or buns, but there was always a tray of cinnamon buns in the mix.
My mom’s cinnamon buns were absolutely the best in the neighbourhood. Hands down. To be honest, very few of the ladies even made them. She made a beautiful dough, and before “sticky buns” were even heard of, she made cinnamon buns with so much goo at the bottom of the tray that it is actually possible she was the inventor of the “sticky bun”. She would butter her tray liberally (thickly), sprinkle it with golden brown sugar (thickly) and nestle each bun onto that “waiting-to-caramelize-in-the-oven” mass.
I did that, successfully, for years, too. Then she read about “goo”, concocted her own magic mix, and would make it up and pour it into the bottom of her baking pan. She has been doing this for the last 30 years, or so. I am sharing her recipe with you, today.
Above, mom is holding the cinnamon buns I made, straight out of the freezer. They freeze beautifully, but dad would tell you, “There is nothing like fresh bread straight out of the oven, or a hot cinnamon bun, slathered with butter.”
Homemade Cinnamon Buns: Making the Goo
Mis en place, above, for mom’s goo. She uses golden corn syrup. I use honey. I choose natural whenever I can, though Grandma Maude’s Popcorn Cake and Butter Tarts are the only recipes that I use it in as both are iconic for our holiday table. If you have no idea what I am talking about, regarding the “evils of corn syrup” or GMO corn, in general, just read Michael Pollan’s The Omnivor’s Dilemma.
When mom and I bake together, or alone, it is no different. We never make one of anything. Today, we are making 4 batches of cinnamon buns, thus preparing 4 batches of goo, above.
All into a heavy saucepan, brought to a low rolling boil for 3-4 minutes, then into the bottom of the baking pan.
We made the good while the bread was proofing.
Homemade Cinnamon Buns: Making the Dough
Mom uses the same dough to make the cinnamon buns that she used to make her famous Canadian Prairie Dinner Buns. All instructions and the recipe for the dough are here.
Homemade Cinnamon Buns: Rolling out the Dough and Making the Cinnamon Buns
Dough proofed, and ready to roll!
Placing the dough on well-floured parchment helps with the rolling process, and contains the mess. Mom ensures there is plenty of flour under the dough while gently patting it out into a rectangle shape, above.
She’s happy with the thickness and size of her dough, above. Done. Now, for the butter.
Why no mis en place for the filling? “I don’t measure what I do. Never have!” But, I did watch and measure, so the ingredient amounts mom used are included in the recipe. She used almost a whole cup of butter, but went back and “evened it out”, so a good 3/4 cup was generously slathered over the supple dough. This was followed by a packed cup of brown sugar. She used the entire cup and it was the “perfect amount”.
I only let her sprinkle the cinnamon straight from the container after measuring a tablespoon at a time and watching her sprinkle it on the previous dough. She used 2 tablespoons. That really surprised me. I would have stopped at one, but she insisted it was not enough. “These are cinnamon buns, Valerie!”
We had the Christmas music on and were definitely enjoying ourselves, but I am certainly better at photographing food than someone making the food. I must have closed the door behind mom so many times, but clearly, I never noticed it was opened, or so many other details I can clearly see now. Yet, hey! This is the reality of cooking in the kitchen, right?
Above is what the dough looks like with the amount of cinnamon mom used.
And now she’s ready to rock and roll!
“The first roll has to be tight; it’s the middle of your bun.”
Lifting the parchment enables the dough to roll over upon itself.
Look closely, above left. Do you see the long bit hanging over the end of the mass on the right side of the image? Yet, above right, you can see mom has pulled the dough under that long bit so that it will now roll over onto something. She is adjusting the alignment of the dough at the other end in that same image.
It isn’t really “all that technical”. It is just common sense, really. Yet, if you are new to baking, hopefully good tips for you. Above, she is lifting the parchment, getting ready to guide the dough to its finished roll.
Beautiful!
I am always surprised by the stronghold she takes to the dough. She pulls it up and around the log with confident vigor and pinches it securely in place to ensure it will not open. I usually worry about pulling the dough this thin, and just roll it over onto itself, seam side down, and start slicing. Yet, this is mom’s technique and it makes beautiful buns.
What a gorgeous length of the dough. She took a moment before she started slicing to determine the middle, and to decide how wide to slice each portion, then estimated the total.
There would be 14 large buns in this recipe. Twelve large slices fit into the large oval pan, and we filled prepared pie plates with the leftover slices!
Onto the goo each slice went, and at 86 (87 in April), she still knows how to portion her pan: one at each end! When plopping them into the pan, the prettiest side goes down into the goo. Why? The pan of buns gets baked and then after cooling a bit, inverted so that the goo is on the top. Thus, the prettiest end of the slice goes down into the goo.
Ready for the oven, with more to make! Gorgeous!
Homemade Cinnamon Buns: Baking the Buns
Knowing your oven is important when baking cinnamon buns as it is not the same as baking bread. With bread, the hottest oven possible is best. With cinnamon buns, the oven temperature is much lower and the baking time longer to ensure a full bake through to the middle of the gooey mass.
Are these not gorgeous? Recall that the prettiest end of the slice went into the goo? After cooling these a bit, it is important to remove them from the pan while still warm enough to do without anything sticking to the pan.
Homemade Cinnamon Buns: Freezing the Buns
If serving the buns hot out of the oven, I flip them onto a serving tray and present with a resounding, “Ta-da!” But, usually, I freeze them as I make them in advance on a baking day. So, I flip them onto a piece of parchment paper. Wash the dish they were baked in, and then set them back into that dish.
Above, you can see the outline of the dish through the parchment paper. I then trim the paper to be the same height as the dish, cover all securely and well with plastic wrap, then freeze. Once frozen, if I need the dish, I just remove them and rewrap place them back into the freezer.
Best served warm, and heating on a plate individually in the microwave, or the entire pan in the oven on low is well worth the wait. They are already laden with such deliciousness, that they really need nothing else, but why do we heat them? Butter! Yes! Melted into the soft fleshy dough, there are no words.
Mom’s legacy will be known for generations to come. I am so fortunate to have had such wonderful experiences in the kitchen with my mom and as she is an incredible role model who motivated me to achieve excellence in all I undertake in my home kitchen. My children revere her and make her recipes. I am fortunate to be able to record some of these experiences and capture some of these stories as they will be told to her great-grandchildren, and their children, and theirs. The food is that good, the stories are that interesting, and the grandchildren’s love for their grandma is that powerful. With these 3 elements in place, only magic can happen.
Helen's Prairie Cinnamon Buns
Helen's Cinnamon Buns are famous in our family, our neighbourhood and our home town. No one makes them better. You will love this simple recipe. Not nutritious, but outrageously delicious.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Goo
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup packed golden brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons water
Ingredients for the Dough
- Link to recipe in notes section
Ingredients for the Filling
- 1 cup butter , room temperature and softened (approximate amount)
- 1 cup golden brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
Instructions for the Goo
-
Place all ingredients into a heavy pan over medium heat stirring constantly; bring to a rolling boil for 3-4 minutes, or until starting to thicken
-
Pour into 10x12 pyrex pan; set aside
Instructions for Making the Dough:
Rolling out the Dough and Making the Buns
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Combine cinnamon with brown sugar; set aside
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Place a large sheet of parchment paper beside work surface; lightly dust work surface with flour
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Carefully remove dough onto lightly floured work surface with D-shaped spatula, working to maintain air in dough
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Dust top of dough; dust parchment paper with flour and turn dough gently and carefully into middle of floured paper
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Gently roll dough into a large rectangle, ensure surface next to paper is lightly floured and dough is not sticking to it
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Once dough is rolled into a large rectangle a good half inch or thicker, place dobs of softened butter over entire surface
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Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the complete surface of the dough (work to not push into the dough to deflate it)
-
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the entire surface of the dough, getting as close to the edges as possible, with the exception of the edge furthest from you
-
Use the offset spatula to spread the sugar cinnamon sugar over the buttered dough evenly
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With the dough in landscape position, roll it over onto itself, then using the parchment paper to roll the dough away from you, continue to roll the dough until in a long log (about 24 inches)
-
Using a very sharp knife, divide log in two and mark lightly on surface every 2 inches from centre on each side to mark where to cut for making 12 buns with 2 small ends
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Bring the pyrex pan to the work area with the goo in the bottom; start to cut the buns and place tightly together in the pan three across and four down
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Cover with damp cloth; proof for 20-30 more minutes
Baking the Buns
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Pre-heat oven to 350F; place pan in middle of oven setting timer for 30 minutes
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Buns should be dark brown and may take an extra 5 minutes to bake, depending upon oven
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Cool for 20 minutes; loosen sides and turn over onto serving platter so sticky side is up
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Let cool completely; serve immediately
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Cover well with plastic wrap once buns have been broken into and inside is exposed to ensure they don't dry out
Recipe Notes
Note about the Dough Recipe
The recipe for the dough can be found here
Note about the Goo
I never make one batch at a time of cinnamon buns, thus, I always double this recipe and divide it into two 10 x 12 pyrex pans. It is easier to make in a bigger batch.
Note about Baking Temp and Time
As every oven is different, a lower temperature and a longer bake time is the solution to this. You will have to experiment with your oven if this happens to you. For me, 350 for 28-30 minutes works well, and I do have to cover the top with heavy foil to avoid over-browning the past 10 minutes.
When the cinnamon rolls are lightly golden brown, if you are new to bun baking (and a perfectionist) spot-check their internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer to test doneness. Their internal temperature should be 190–200°F (88–93°C). I find 197˚C is where mine is at. It is critical to ensure the centre buns bake to 197˚C so they don't sink which can be a problem.
Aaaaanhhh! Just the photo of pinching the end of the roll to the body takes me back.
Our cinnamon buns were made with regular bread dough. The butter was melted, and poured onto the flat slab of doubh, then the brown sugar spread about on it before the cinnamon was sprinkled — I don’t think we actually measured. We just hsook and shook and shook the cinnamon bottle!!! And then sometimes there were raisins added (pre-plumped and drained), perhaps even some walnuts.
As soon as I saw “cinnamon buns” I remembered our first step: boiling the string, which was used instead of a knife. A knife, even a sharp one, messes with the perfectly round, even symmetry of the Perfect Cinnamon Bun, I was told.
So you slip the thread under the end of the rolled up log-of-buns, position it where the cut is desired, then cross the thread over gently, pinching the about-to-be-separated roll in between the threads, pinching them right off. They always come out perfectly shaped!
The first time I saw cinnamon rolls without all the ooey-gooe4y-sticky-goodatuff, I refused to believe what was being offered was actually cinnamon rolls.
When I think of my mom, the first image that pops into mind is her standing in the kitchen, bread pan on the stool at a good height for kneading, hands dripping with bread dough, shovelling in flour and in the memory clip that I love, brushes back hair with the back of her hand, leaving a smudge of flour on her cheek.
She made 10 loaves of bread (2 oven-loads) and two pans of buns (sometimes one of cinnamon rolls) twice a week. It took a whole loaf just for kids’ school lunches each day!
— frances
Frances!
How your mother was a workhorse. Few women in this country these days would survive that pace. I loved hard work when I was young and healthy, and my mother still has that kind of stamina, almost! Ha! I have not heard of the thread or string with cinnamon buns! I will most definitely try it next batch. I do have a wonderful very sharp Japanese knife that is brilliant, but I do recall sawing through the dough being very tedious and worrisome in the past. Love this idea. Thank you!
That image of your mom is so endearing. Seriously, endearing. I can imagine her, too, through your eyes. What heroes raised us, eh? A homemade loaf for the day’s lunches puts that forgotten past into such perspective. When we had to grow our food, preserve it, bake it and make it. Buying was cost prohibitive such a waste. It gave life such purpose, such a sense of deep primordial satisfaction and most definitely all had a sense of what it really took to get that food on the family table every night. Waste? I don’t think so! Oh, I could go on… Hugs to you… and, I’ve blown a kiss to your mom!
Valerie
You can also use dental floss 😉 this is what my grandmother uses and it works like a charm 😉
Thanks, LeRae!
I’ve even used sewing thread, it works perfectly too. 🙂
I’m just trying these out today with my 15 year old daughter…Normally when I make bread I use my Kitchen aid mixer for all of the kneading processes, but this time I followed your mother’s recipe and did the kneading by hand as stipulated…I had her help so she knew how to do it properly . Anxiously waiting for the end result..I’m adding pecans to the “goo” 🙂 Thank you for the recipe.
Ohhh! Pecans! Yummy! I am not a gal that likes nuts in my cinnamon buns but I can appreciate the idea! Love pecans! Let me know how it goes.
Can’t wait to hear!
🙂
Valerie
Great idea, DeAnna!
love this post Valerie, your Mom is beautiful and the cinnamon buns look just like my Grandma made.
Isn’t that something, Laureen? I love how you have those memories, too!
Yet, today, I have not seen anyone’s homemade cinnamon buns look like these. Usually, they have icing or something or not the gooey goodness.
I still hope to see you soon!!!
Hugs,
Valerie
I feel like I just joined in with you and your Mom Val, thanks for the recipe I showed the picture to my husband and he said his mouth instantly watered. I guess I am making them this week and more scuffles!!!!! Another hit recipe and one that I have wanted just didn’t know some of the tips and tricks to getting the cinnamon & sugar to stick, never thought to spread it first……duh. Love your site and email update ♥♥ Merry Christmas to you and your family ♥♥
Let me know how they turn out, Wendy! Did you make the scuffles recipe? Wonderful! Right side out, I hope! Not like me! Hahahaha! But, they are delicious either way, that I can attest to…. if you did make them, it would be so appreciated (gutsy of me, I know) if you would make a comment on that post so that Liz could see it.
I am really trying to get some family favourites up this year. Usually I get the recipes made, the photos taken and then it is February before I know it!
Merry Christmas and warm cozy love by the fire for you and yours!
XOXO
V
Valerie, I still make these, exactly the same way as my dad taught me, so similar to your mom’s recipe. Dad almost always added raisins and sometimes a chopped apple. Generously butter the pan, add a layer of dark brown sugar and some cinnamon. More cinnamon swirling through the middle of the roll with the butter, brown sugar and raisins. We would wake to the scent of cinnamon buns baking on Saturday mornings and knew that dad wanted us to get up and play. That is one of my treasured memories of childhood and the scent of fresh cinnamon buns will evoke it so easily, bringing a smile and a tear together. My hands are not strong enough any longer to knead more than two loaves at a time but I do recall the regular bread batch making 12 loaves of bread, four dozen dinner rolls and two pans of something else. That could be cinnamon buns, pull aparts (also known as Monkey Bread), hot dog or hamburger buns, dad’s wonderful jelly filled doughnuts, whatever he wanted or the menu plans for the week needed.
The other day when I was bread baking I started to say, and finger spell, cracked wheat bread? when my sister and brother both said cinnamon buns. Okay, two batches, one for buns and one of cracked wheat bread. My lovely neighbour gives me enough plums from her tree for a dozen jelly jars of plum jam. Another treat from my past: cracked wheat toast with plum jam. One of my dad’s favourites and now one of mine.
Have a wonderful Christmas, Brendi
Those homemade jelly filled donuts have me salivating! What a great list of homemade food your dad could make! Wowsers! My dad also loved to cook and though he would rather be the guest, he was darn good at it, too. Best fried chicken and wonderfully creative salads. No bread for him though – or baking of any kind!
Happy Holidays, Brendi!
Awesome! Best Cinnamon Buns i ever had! Thanks for the recipe! Greetings from Germany 🙂
You just made my day! Thrilled to hear this, as mom will be, as well! Thank you, Daniel!
🙂
Valerie
Second time ever making cinnamon buns by myself. Entire family loved them! It was three generations of appreciation for this awesome recipe and techniques.
My dear Kate,
You warmed my heart this morning. I am so happy to hear this.
Big hug – and hopefully many more cinnamon buns to come for your family in the future!
🙂
Valerie
Your mom is adorable! She reminds me of my grandma and I just want to give her a hug!!!
Going to make these this weekend.
She just made a batch yesterday, Stella, for our Thanksgiving Dinner today – a couple of days early! They are soooo yummy! Let me know how they turn out!
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to you!
🙂
Valerie
Oh. My. Word. THIS is what I’ve been looking for! I usually scroll past the “story,” but I was intrigued by the photos so decided to get the story behind them. LOVED IT! It’s finally getting cool enough here (Kansas) to do some baking, and prep for the holidays, and even though I have a good cinnamon roll recipe, this is more like what I remember eating as a child. I can’t wait to try my hand at them. I’m VERY HAPPY to know they freeze well, too! Your mom is sweet for taking the time to help you get the recipe and instructions. She sounds like me with the measurements. Ha. Southern raised, and it’s shake it until it looks good. Oh, And, there’s no such thing as too much cinnamon!
Oh, this could be dangerous … lol.
Beverly – could we be related? HAHA!
Thank you for making the time to express your delight with the recipe and the story. Of course, now I am eager to hear whether you really did make them and how the recipe worked for you?
Sincerely,
Valerie
So beautiful.I liked the story remindes me on my childhood. Thank you and I wish all the best to your amusing Mom. Puno pozdrava!
Hvala, Brankica!
Let me know if you make this recipe! It might be a bit too sweet for you, but you can always adjust to your own taste!
🙂
Valerie
I have been making these for many . Knowing what is in them it takes the desire to eat them away. I use the word goop too and can say I never make it the same way twice. I have found the secret in the goop is the cream, I usually use milk but it keeps the goop layer soft after baking. I use corn syrup, maple syrup or honey with the brown sugar and butter. It is a Christmas morning must here. Merry Christmas.
Haha! Thanks for chiming in, Carolyn!
Isn’t that the truth – but, anything homemade no matter what is in it is better than most of the food we eat these days – which is not homemade and has so many other wicked ingredients in it! If we could see those foods being made, I am certain we would only eat what we make ourselves!
Happy Holidays!
Valerie
They are in the oven as I type!
And, Estelle, how did they turn out?
Happy New Year 2019!
Valerie
These were ridiculously good! A snowy Sunday here in Canada.
I’ve never made bread or cinnamon buns before but the clear instructions were very helpful. Adding flour instructions vs ingredients list was a bit off but the end quantities were the same so I don’t think it’s a big deal
Took me about 4 hours with baking time…wasn’t expecting that! But it took about 10 minutes for them to disappear so it must have been worth it. They were almost exactly how my grandma must have made them!
The one tip I think I’d give is spread the soft butter all the way before sprinkling the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture…spreading afterwards was a bit messy and gave an uneven spread.
I never knew that the “goo” was baked upside down…very interesting!
Thanks!!
Hi MF!
Thank you for all the cinnamon bun enthusiasm! Love it! It is such a thrill to read how these recipes work for others and are enjoyed by my readers. Regarding your suggestion – I went back to my instructions – as I always spread on the butter first, then add the sugar and cinnamon… as you suggested. Did I misunderstand? As my instructions were as I recalled and as I understood you suggested:
“7. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the complete surface of the dough (work to not push into the dough to deflate it)
8.Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the entire surface of the dough, getting as close to the edges as possible, with the exception of the edge furthest from you”
So what was messy and uneven? Truly trying to understand. I am always looking to clarify if needed. 🙂 Hugs, Valerie
i am going to try these they look so yummy!! i love working with yeast dough. where did you find the glass baking Dishes? i would love to find some like those.
Hi Penny!
So funny! The glass ovals I bought years ago, but saw them just last week at my local superstore!
Let me know how it goes! Mom will be thrilled!
🙂
Valerie
its’ -46 today on the Saskatchewan and I made these today to warm us up!! They are really good! I wanted to try the bun alone with and than as a cinnamon bun. Both are delicious. my grandma taught me how to make bread when I was 19 and 10 years later I carry on her traditional Ukrainian/ Romanian Kolach bread. She passed away this summer and I smile every week when i make her bread, she is right beside me kneading away.
Aw, Carma, That is so sweet. I remember my Grandma, Maude, so many times when I bake or pick berries, as well.
Big hug to you – mom will be tickled you enjoyed her recipe and I am very grateful you took the time to tell us.
Hugs,
Valerie
BEST CINNAMON BUNS EVER! I started by making your mom’s prairie bun recipe and proofing the dough overnight. I could tell when I was kneading that it was turning into a beautiful dough. This morning I cooked the goo and got everything ready while the dough was warming up to room temp, then assembled. I followed both recipes to a T except subbed maple syrup for honey/corn syrup in the goo. Then I blundered (hey, the sun wasn’t even up yet!) and rolled the dough way too thick, cut the buns too large and ended up with 8 massive buns in a deep 5 quart baking dish that took well over an hour to bake. I had to cover with foil after 1/2 hr and use a thermometer to check doneness. But all is well that ends well because they were absolutely delicious! Next time, I’ll roll the dough a lot thinner and follow your mom’s advice more closely and I’ll try her parchment trick to get a tighter roll. Please tell her thank you for sharing her recipes. The dough was marvelous, light and fluffy! It will be my new bun dough recipe for plain and savoury rolls too!
Mom will be thrilled. Great story, Liz! Thank you so very much for sharing. I enjoyed the read this morning with my coffee – though it wasn’t as early as your morning!
Cheers,
Valerie
Cinnamon buns, round 2. This time, I rolled the dough to what I thought was thin enough and it looked to me to be about the same size as your mom’s dough. I was careful with the dough to keep as much air as possible as your mom suggested. I have a pastry mat with cm and inches and was careful to cut 1″ slices. I still ended up with 8 massively round buns for the goo in a glass pyrex exactly like the one you use (a thrift store score!) and then had enough to put a further 7 buns in another slightly smaller pyrex dish which I think I’ll ice with some cream cheese frosting. I food-binned the 2 ends too! Honestly, your mom would have a good laugh if she could see my efforts! I can’t figure what I’m doing wrong. Probably not tight enough? Not rolled thin enough? I have no doubt they will taste amazing so I’m not terribly disappointed but I’m a bit of a perfectionist so I really want to get this right. My dear mother in law used to make the most amazing cinnamon buns and though I took the time to watch her make many things (just like you, I had to take copious notes!), I was busy raising a family and working full time in a demanding career and never bothered to watch the cinnamon bun process. I regret that now! Anyways, any advice would be appreciated. Thanks again, really enjoy your website.
My husband has vivid and fond memories of the cinnamon buns his aunt made on the farm north of Calgary where he spent his summers. I have tried to recreate what he describes – without much success. Perhaps it is not possible to recreate a memory which is composed not just of remembered tastes and scents but also of the place, people and feelings that go along with them. Having said that, these seem so much like what he describes and remembers that I am going to give them try. Even if they do not live up to his childhood memories, they will be enjoyed. Thank you.
Let me know how it goes, Marla!
We love this recipe at our house!
Tickled you are motivated to try the recipe and am pretty sure you’ll love it as much as we do!
🙂
Valerie
Valerie, I loved this blog post. And your mother is so beautiful. It warms my heart knowing the love and experiences you two have shared. I’m going to try this recipe for certain. There’s obviously magic in the love behind the making of these.
Thank you so very much, Diane,
I would love to hear how the recipe works for you!
🙂
Hugs,
Valerie
Hi
Do you use a le creuset pan to make the goo?( it’s green) also looking for oval Pyrex in Canada. Bb and beyond has the 9.5 x 11. Would that work?
HI Cathy,
No need to have the oval pyrex, but I got it from Superstore years and years ago. We actually made 4 batches the day I took the photos and this one had the nicest look so it is in the photo. I have always had a bit of a fetish for gorgous and unique glassware and serving dishes and this one was really unique in “the old days”. I saw them very recently at Superstore, again! The size would be equivalent to a 12×15 pan so the Bed Bath and Beyond one is smaller.
I likely used the green creuset braising pan to make my goo. I love them both and use them for everything.
Have fun making these! Let me know how it goes!
🙂
Valerie
Hi!
My daughter and I made these one summer day! We rewatched pics very often! They turned out so yummy and gone within a couple days!
Cathy,
She must have done something wrong if they lasted two days. wink wink!!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Thrilled to hear it!
Valerie
Made these buns and shared one with everyone on my floor in our apt building, got nothing but RAVE reviews, now my sister wants me to make her a batch. Can you use diabetic sugar for the filling? Also these freeze extremely well. My favorite recipe.
So happy to hear this, Linda! Thank you for letting me know. I don’t know the answer to your question about diabetic sugar. I imagine you could use Brown Sugar Swerve, but the results would be significantly different.
🙂
Valerie
Hands down the best cinnamon buns I have ever made. Thank you so much for sharing the detailed recipe. I live in Manitoba so could not resist trying a recipe from a Canadian prairie baker!
Wendi!
So fantastic to hear this! Mom will be tickled and so am I! Nothing like a family favourite coming from the Canadian prairies where we all call home!
Hugs and happy Easter!
Valerie
Can you make these with the cream cheese icing on top, too?
That would defeat the purpose of the carmelized topping. But, you can, of course, do whatever you personally enjoy!
🙂
V
!
In a word – beautiful!
I thought that mine cinnamon buns are good, which they may be – but they are goo-less 🙂
From now on, they will be good and not goo-less (I hope that this is a word…).
Anyway, this is bookmarked and will be tried very soon.
Thank you for the heartwarming story, as well as the wonderful recipe.
All the best from Tanja, Serbia
Lovely to hear from you, Tanja!
Where are you from in Serbia? You will definitely enjoy these – but sometimes, family tradition wins as that recipe holds all the memories of home – even if another recipe tastes better. HAHA
Let me know if you make them?
🙂
Valerie
They look great! 😀
I don’t have an oven and was wondering if you have ever tried making them on the stove top?
NOPE!
🙂
Wow what great reviews. I am trying several cinnamon roll recipes to see which is best tasting and you are #3. One of the requirements is. That I will freeze the rolls solid, thaw over night and bake them in the morning . We are having 35 for Thanksgiving and I want all the prep work done ahead of time….. so can you or have you ever made these to the point of shaping them, cutting them and then freezing them and baking them at a later date.
Nope, never. But, if you can with some, you likely can with all.
Let me know how it goes.
This recipe is #1 around here – but #3 we celebrate from you!
🙂
V
Wow my mother made cinnamon rolls the same way, only without the goo. We had homemade bread all the time, she never bought bread.I remember coming home from school on the day she made bread and we would have a slice of hot bread with real butter that we had made from the cream of the cows milk, or she would fry some in oil and we would have butter and honey on it. I sure miss those days and my mom. Thanks for sharing I am going to try these.
Thanks for sharing your memory of home, Patricia.
It brought me back to my childhood kitchen. Moffat appliances. Turquoise covered chairs and accessories. Such a small little room compared to the kitchens in homes today, yet it was where the magic happened. Family dinners. Breakfasts. Dad’s lunches. Mom. Fighting over doing the dishes with my sister. Life has whisked me away to my own future and I so wished I had savoured those days while I was living them.
Hugs
Valerie
Thanks for sharing your moms recipe. I have a terrible time making anything using yeast, but I am not giving up, I will persevere!! I will be trying these out soon. Can you make those to a certain step and freeze them before baking? I thought if I get the. To work out for me, then I would make a double batch and freeze them so I have them on hand.
Hi Joanne,
I believe you might find my answer in your spam… but here it is again. I bake them. They freeze beautifully fully baked. I haven’t tried the other way.
Let me know how it goes!
🙂
Valerie
Can’t wait to make these. Lived in a small town in Northern Saskatchewan (Nipawin) fora year and the Mom of the house that I lived in would make these for her family and I and the five of us would sit down and demolish a pan of them. I have wanted to make them for my kids ever since and your recipe might be the one! You made a note that the buns need to cook to 197C. Is that right? Did you mean 197 Farenheit?
Hi Al
I have no idea what you are referring to. The recipe clearly states under Baking the Buns heading: 350F.
Hope this helps. If I’ve made an error somewhere else in the post, please let me know where to look.
Let me know how it goes when you make these!
🙂
Valerie
Sorry. Let me be clearer. It was in the Recipe Notes at the very bottom of the recipe. I will copy and paste it below here:
“Note about Baking Temp and Time
It is critical to ensure the centre buns bake to 197C so they don’t sink which is a common problem. As every oven is different, a lower temperature and a longer bake time is the solution to this. You will have to experiment with your oven if this happens to you. For me, 350 for 28-30 minutes works well, and I do have to cover the top with heavy foil to avoid over browning the past 10 minutes.”
Are you saying that you cook the buns until they register “197C” in the middle? I am reading that as 197 Celsius but that cannot be right.
Hi Al,
I answered you above (or below – haha) and added more specific comments in the NOTES section!
Thanks so much!
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
It was down at the very bottom of your recipe in the notes section You stated “Note about Baking Temp and Time
It is critical to ensure the centre buns bake to 197C”t
I wasn’ sure what the “197C” was referring to.
Al – thank you SO much for your patience. I finally had the time to review my notes and answer you specifically and have actually clarified the information in the Notes section of the recipe. I hope this helps!
How did your bun baking go? Would love to hear?
Sincerely,
Valerie
Hi again. One other question. What kind of Canadian butter does your Mum use? Is it salted or unsalted?
hi Al
She didn’t use to buy unsalted and now it is all she uses for baking as unsalted has much less water content.
🙂
V
I am a bit in a rush as always. Can I use frozen bread dough. I know they won’t be as good as yours . But will it work.
The purpose of sharing my recipes is for people to have a great experience eating delicious, nutritious food. I am sure you will figure out the answer to your question. You will have a cinnamon bun, for sure – but it will not be like these.
🙂
(Buy a Thermomix, it saves so much time and hardly any cleanup – and buying ready-made dough, though not expensive, is exponentially more expensive than making our own.)
Hugs
Valerie
This is just the best recipe ever! I have made the buns and cinnamon buns many times now and they always turn out delicious!
As a fifty something woman, I have never had much luck with homemade buns of any sort, but thanks to you and your dear mom I am baking like the granny I am and my family is thoroughly enjoying it!
Wonderful to hear, Lynn! Mom will be thrilled!
Hugs
Valerie
Best recipe ever. Thank you so much G’ma Helen!
She’ll be thrilled to hear this, Brenda!
Reminds me so much of my mom too. Those farm women were good cooks. She would make 8 loaves of white and then 8 loaves of brown bread on a Saturday. It was horrible the year she worked full time and we had bought bread! She also made white buns and brown buns for major holidays, hot cross buns for Easter. But her best were cinnamon buns Christmas morning. She made the goo like your mom. She sprinkled it with chopped pecans. In the dough would be raisins. She spread with butter, sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon, rolled and sliced. Once in the pan, they would be covered with plastic and frozen. Christmas Eve, she would preheat the oven, just to 110 F and then turn it off. Put in the frozen buns, with the plastic loosened. Christmas morning, they would be risen. Remove from oven, then turn the oven on and preheat to 350 F and then bake for 20 to 25 min. Fresh yummy buns. Make sure you take the plastic off before baking.
I do this every year and am making my buns tomorrow, although they never are as good as mom’s. I miss her and she will be on my mind as I bake. You are so lucky to be able to cook with your mom. Looks like she is still rock’in!
What a lovely tribute to your mom and I completely understand. Mom is 90. 91 in April and I cherish every moment – and still ask her to make the prairie dinner buns for every holiday meal. They are still perfect. She consistently makes a batch of cinnamon buns every time, too – which, of course, we all go nuts for.
Big hug and happy holidays to you!
Valerie
Your mother lookss absolutely beautiful. This is 2020 so i certainly hope she is still with you. Thank you for the wonderful cinnamon roll receioe and especially the photos. Helped me tremendously. Thanks again and best wishes.
So kind of you, Bobi! She will be thrilled. Is 90, 91 in April, at home recovering from a lengthy bout of COVID! We’re so lucky she is so healthy and strong and has been able to also survive this terrible virus!
🙂
Valerie
Can these be frozen and baked later?
Not sure, Aly. Never done that. I wouldn’t as I think you’d need a powerful flash freezer. We do bake them and freeze them and they thaw or reheat beautifully.
Happy Holidays!
🙂
Valerie
Thank-you, thank-you!! This is the first time I’ve been successful making cinnamon buns, your information and description were a big help, especially the temperature for the centre of the buns when they are done. I hope I can control myself and not eat them all by myself!
I can’t wait until I can share these with my family, with any luck next Thanksgiving.
I’m so glad to hear that your mom is recovering I hope she is doing well.
Great to hear, Sarah!
Mom will be tickled. She just said today, “Oh, I feel so badly that I’m just not up to making the buns for Christmas dinner! But, I have some cinnamon buns in the freezer that I made just before I got sick!” So, we will be enjoying a batch ourselves over the holidays. They freeze beautifully if wrapped well.
Warmly,
Valerie
First I absolutely love your Mom, she reminds me of my mother in law whom I adored!
I did all she showed other than getting my machine to do the kneading for me until the rest, then lady but if kneading. That dough is AMAZING! The best, lightest, fluffiest most perfect ‘sweet’ dough I’ve ever made. Next it did exactly the rest other than keep about 1/4 of the dough to do the buns. (Who could resist trying those out too while I’m at it. The goo, well, I’m French Canadian so I subbed with maple syrup. Other than that everything else the same. Those are THE best cinnamon rolls, buns, sticky buns I’ve ever made. BAR NONE!! Thanks so much for sharing, Valerie…Love to Mom!
I sent her a copy of your message and she was deeply touched. Thank you, Micheline!
So happy and grateful you took the time to let my readers know, as well – as that is a confidence builder that this recipe is a good one and others are more likely then, to give in a try.
Happy 2021!
Valerie
Oh your mom’s cinnamon buns look amazing. I wish I had one in each hnad right now and all that yummy goo …. ooooh I am drooling. One day hopefully very soon I will be able to enjoy these delish cinnamon buns. 🙂
Shellina
I hope so, too!
Why not now?
🙂
Valerie
My late Grandma lived to 100 yrs. old, and made these very rolls most of her life (no goo, just a layer of butter w/sugar & cinnamon). She’d love these! I put some raisins on top of sugar/cinnamon before rolling. She was born/raised in Elbow, near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan before marrying my Grandpa and moving to Michigan around 1920. Most people think iced cinnamon rolls, but my family knows this type very well thanks to my Grandma.
Thank you for taking the time to write this lovely reflection. This is such a Canadian rendition of the Cinnamon Bun! (not a sweet roll!)
Hugs, Valerie
I am a Canadian living in the UK. Cinnamon buns are not a thing here. I’ve tired box mixes but they just don’t cut it. Then your recipe tonight. Has blown my parched Canadian taste buds mind – oh the tastes of home! I did modify your beautiful recipe to be able to feed vegan friends. Apple sauce instead of an egg, vegan butter instead of dairy butter, oat milk instead of dairy and agave syrup instead of honey. And they came out beautifully. I can’t
Thank you and your mum enough for this beautiful Canadian treat!
Does that mean you like our recipe, Christin?
hahaha- we’re tickled!
🙂
Valerie
Thank you for your story and the pictures of your mom.
Those pictures are a treasure.
My mom (and her mom) were master bun and cinnamon buns bakers.
It seemed that she made buns once a week.
Growing up I remember having cinnamon buns for Sunday breakfast.
I made 4 batches of the cinnamon buns today for my son’s wedding week.
A batch for the groomsman on Saturday and the rest for all the out of town company on Sunday. And of course a small pan to enjoy today.
Making cinnamon buns brings both tears of missing mom and a deep warmth for all her love.
I have a question…I’ll be freezing most of the buns – do I freeze them upside down?
When I make them I haven’t had the yummy goo so I have just left the buns in the pan.
And also, before I serve the buns do I heat them upside down with the parchment paper underneath?
Thank you, Pauline,
What a lovely reflective piece and I really appreciate the time you have taken to write this. Mom will be thrilled. I would remove the buns from the pan warm, let them sit to room temperature and wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze sticky side up. Unwrap and thaw. Reheat individually in the microwave or place back in the pan sticky side up at 250 F for 20 minutes or so.
Let me know how it goes.
Big hug
Valerie
WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW. Best cinnamon buns EVER. The GOO part, YES YES YES. And thank you SO MUCH for the 1000 pictures on the technique. It is the first time that I read the intro before the recipe. I Feel like I was in the kitchen myself., very fun and entertaining. A big BRAVO on the way Both did it, the writing part and the making part. Because of this, I am going to see what other recipes you have. Can’t go wrong if its grandmas recipes hihihi.
Glad to hear you enjoyed your cinnamon buns and experienced great success, Amelie!
Mom will be thrilled!
Valerie
I am so pleased that I stumbled on your Mother’s wonderful recipe for Canadian Prairie Dinner Rolls. I am finally after almost sixty years able to make great buns that everyone in my family loves. Thank you for adapting her recipe to the Tbermomix. I love my Thermomix even more now that I am able to use it for this recipe. I have the dough and made my own version of cinnamon buns but will definitely be using yours and your mother’s in the future. This is the first time I have ever made a comment about a recipe I tried but you deserve all five stars and more. Thank you!
That’s so lovely to hear, Myrna!
Mom will be thrilled.
I am, too! I love to hear a local Canadian AND a Thermomix owner enjoying these recipes.They are so much a part of our heritage – and Thermomix makes enjoying them more often possible.
Big hug to you,
Valerie
Love, love, love Mrs. Helen McKinney’s two for one recipe. Have made both the dinner and cinnamon buns since 2018 for family and friends. They are always welcomed at meals and accepted with joy as gifts. Thank you both so much for sharing your recipe!
Thank you so much, Helen, for letting us know.
It is these kinds of thoughtful comments that warm our hearts!
From our house to yours is why we do what we do.
Hugs,
Valerie
I’ve been looking for the perfect cinnamon roll recipe and this just may be it. I’m anxious to try them. I loved your pictures and your mom is simply adorable. My own mom would have turned 90 years old this year but I lost her over 27 years ago. She is the reason I love to bake, she had me in the kitchen baking with her at age 7 so I often think of my mom when baking goodies that I know she would have loved. Thanks again for sharing such a cherished recipe.
I am so sorry to hear that your mom passed at such a young aga, Danette!
What a tragedy!
The wonderful food you made together will always keep you close. I love that about cooking.
Let me know how the recipe goes for you!
We love it here!
Hugs,
Valerie
I haven’t made these yet although I certainly intend to. What brings tears to my eyes and love from my heart to yours are your wonderful memories created between the two of you. Reminds me of my Granny making her marvellous bread and so many other foods that I, now nearing 75, still hold in my heart. Thank you so very much.
Just made these. I’ve been making cinnamon buns forever, all sorts of recipes, but I have to say this is my favorite. The goo is perfection. I always struggled with that. I used my bread machine for the dough recipe (didn’t use the proofing ingredients 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp sugar) making sure not to add all the flour and added as needed near end of first mix and it turned out perfect. In the end used all 6 cups of flour. In all sorts of bread recipes I’ve used regular yeast and bread machine and for me they always were interchangeable and it turned out but I did make sure the main liquid used was warm and some sort of sugar used. Used regular dry yeast. Because it’s just my husband and I now, I split the dough and made a half batch of regular buns and a half batch of cinnamon buns (halving the goo recipe and filling accordingly). Homemade beef veg soup with buns and cinnamon buns for dessert. It was so good. Thanks to Aunty Pat, your Mom and you. Loved seeing her handwritten recipe card.
Thank you for your heartfelt reflection, Barb!
This recipe for mom’s buns and her cinnamon buns is certainly one of the most popular here!
At 94 she is still making both!
Cheers!
Valerie