Cinnamon Buns with Vanilla Maple Icing

These are so much better than store bought cinnamon buns. There's even whole wheat flour in them and just a bit of sugar in the dough. Most of the time spent making them is just waiting for them to rise – really! I mixed the dough in my KitchenAid mixer and only did a little hand-kneading because I want to get my hands in the action. After the dough was kneaded and tucked away in a covered bowl I went out on errands and when I got back home it was ready to roll out, butter and sprinkle with goodies. Next I rolled it up, cut into pieces, and let rise again for about 45 minutes. Then I baked it and viola! Homemade cinnamon buns. Smelled wonderful too. Makes 12-14 cinnamon buns.

Recipe inspired by the Sticky Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls in the just released book Spork-Fed from the sisters of Spork Foods. These two gals are very entertaining (and enterprising!) and give cooking lessons online and in person.

Ingredients
Dough
2-1/4 tsp yeast
3 TB warm water
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1 cup soy milk
2 TB Earth Balance margarine
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2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 TB + 1 tsp vital wheat gluten flour
1 TB evaporated cane sugar (Sucanat)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Filling
2 TB Earth Balance margarine, softened
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1/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 TB melted Earth Balance to brush on top of buns before baking.

Directions
In small bowl, combine yeast and warm water and let sit for about 10 minutes until yeast gets a little bubbly.

In bowl of stand mixer or large non-reactive bowl, combine flours, sugar and salt. Mix until combined.

Gently warm soy milk and margarine until margarine is melted. Do not let soy milk get too hot or you may kill the yeast.

Add soy milk and yeast to flours and mix. If you're using a stand mixer, turn up to "kneading" speed and knead for about 3 minutes until smooth and elastic. If kneading by hand, knead for 7-10 minutes. Place in oiled glass or stoneware bowl. Rub some of the oil on dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit until doubled for about 90 minutes.

Punch dough down, knead a few times and roll out into a rectangle. Spread with softened butter. Mix filling ingredients in small bowl and then sprinkle on top of dough. Use as much or as little as you like. I had some left over.

Roll up so you have a long log. Cut into 2 inch segments. Place on cookie sheet about 1/2 inches apart. You can oil the cookie sheet, use parchment paper or a Silpat liner. I recently discovered Silpat liners and they are very cool. It's a non-stick silicone liner that can be reused.

Dough has risen second time, ready for oven after being brushed with melted margarine.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush melted butter on top of buns, cover with towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly browned. Your nose will tell you when they're done but if you're not sure insert a temperature probe into a middle bun and it should register around 200 degrees when fully baked. Let cool and frost or drizzle with Vanilla Maple Icing.

Vanilla Maple Icing
Ingredients
3/4 powdered sugar
1 TB soy milk
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift powdered sugar into small bowl and add rest of ingredients. Mix until no lumps remain and icing is desired consistency. Drizzle or frost buns. Enjoy!

Fresh out of the oven, ready for drizzle of Vanilla Maple Icing!