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I love cinnamon buns. So much so that I purposely plan my way through the mall to avoid Cinnabon. If I end up smelling them, I’ll end up buying one and eating the whole thing. Which isn’t such a bad thing, but sometimes you’ve gotta save your tummy space, you know?

When in Tokyo earlier this year, we happened upon a Cinnabon in the back streets of Roppongi. That familiar sweet cinnamon-sugar smell instantly made me homesick and I wanted to line up but I felt completely ridiculous because I was in TOKYO for goodness sake. Did I really want to wait in line to eat the cinnamon buns at an American chain bakery when there were so many more delicious artisanal cinnamon things to be had?!

The answer was yes, of course, but the line ended up being too long to wait in (Tokyoites like lines!) so I didn’t end up getting a cinnamon bun. Insert sad face. I had to drown my sorrows in taiyaki, which isn’t too shabby a way of drowning, if you ask me! Hmm…maybe I should work on a cinnamon roll taiyaki?!

Taiyakis aside, these little cinnamon buns whipped up pretty quick. They barely need any kneading and they’ve got just a short rise of 40 minutes. A quick bake in the oven and you’ve got yourself fresh buns in just about an hour – even shorter than the Cinnabon line in Tokyo.

1 Hour Mini Cinnamon Buns with Whiskey Cream Cheese Glaze via Joy the Baker
makes 8 mini buns

Dough

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3/4 – 1 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 large egg yolk*

Filling

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 tablespoon room temperature butter

Whisky Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temp
• 1 tablespoons butter, at room temp
• 1 tablespoon whiskey
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.

Combine the milk, butter and sugar in a small sauce pan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts completely. Remove and let cool until just warm. Sprinkle on the yeast. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes so the yeast can activate.

In a bowl, stir together the 3/4 cup of flour and salt. Add the milk mix and egg yolk and use a wooden spoon to mix until incorporated. Add more flour, as needed, if the dough is too wet. Bring together into a ball and knead with your hands for a couple of turns.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out onto a lightly floured work surface into a rectangle about the size of a regular sheet of paper. Spread the room temperature butter out evenly over the dough and then evenly sprinkle on the cinnamon-sugar-flour mixture. Roll the dough up, starting at a long edge. Cut into 8 equal pieces and place in the prepared muffin tin. Cover with saran wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, puffy and bubbly.

While the buns are baking, make the frosting. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the whipped cream cheese and whisky until smooth. Set aside in the fridge.

When the buns are done, the tops should be golden brown and a skewer poked through should come out clean. Frost immediately for the Cinnabon look. Let cool slightly and enjoy warm.

Notes: Half an egg yolk is about 1/2 tablespoon. Separate your egg, then measure out 1/2 tablespoon.

If you’re looking to make chocolate espresso cinnamon buns, check out Joy’s recipe!

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