Morning Buns
Morning buns are one of the most fabulous bakery pastries you’ll ever find. If you’ve never had them, they’re part cinnamon roll, part croissant, and have just a hint of citrus, which makes them totally and utterly irresistible. I could eat these every single morning for the rest of my life. I may have also eaten these in the afternoon and the evening, too. Much like my other favorite, Danish pastries, they’re an equal opportunity pastry.
Is there a better kind?!
The dough used to create these is traditionally a croissant dough, but this recipe takes a bit of a shortcut with laminating the butter, so they’re not nearly as time-consuming as actual croissants would be. Both the dough and the filling have hints of citrus, which gives them a light and bright flavor. Contrary to cinnamon rolls, which are typically made with a rich, heavy dough, the flaky croissant-like dough used here lends itself to more of a pastry texture.
I love how easily the recipe came together – the initial mixing, rolling and filling took less than 45 minutes. Then, the pan of rolls sits in the refrigerator overnight and does a quick 20 minute rise the next morning before being baked for about 45 minutes. They’re very low maintenance for such an amazing pastry! You can even prep these and freeze them to have ready to bake should you have last-minute house guests. Perfect!
If you love croissants and cinnamon rolls (and who doesn’t?!), you HAVE to make these!
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One year ago: Applesauce Snack Cake with Oat-Nut Streusel
Three years ago: Salted Caramel Cashew Bark
Five years ago: Peach Crumb Bars
Six years ago: Chicken Pot Pie
Seven years ago: Chili-Rice Dinner
Morning Buns
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3 cups (361 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons (2.25 teaspoons) instant, rapid-rise yeast
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices and chilled
- 1 cup (227 ml) sour cream, chilled
- ¼ cup (57 ml) orange juice, chilled
- 3 tablespoons ice water
- 1 egg yolk
For the Filling:
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Prepare the Dough: Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large zipper-lock bag. Add the butter, seal and shake to evenly coat the butter. Press the air out of the bag and reseal. Roll over the bag several times with a rolling pin, shaking the bag after each roll, until the butter is pressed into large flakes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the sour cream, orange juice, water and egg yolk until combined.
- 2. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly to form a smooth, cohesive ball. Roll the dough into a 20×12-inch rectangle. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Pat the cylinder flat into a 12×4-inch rectangle and transfer to a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes.
- 3. Prepare the Filling: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and grease with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugars, orange zest, cinnamon and vanilla.
- 4. Remove the dough from the freezer and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 20×12-inch rectangle and sprinkle evenly with the filling, leaving ½-inch border around the edges. Lightly press the filling into the dough. Starting at the long end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch lightly to seal the seam. Trim ½-inch of dough from each end and discard. Cut the cylinder into 12 equal pieces and transfer cut-side-up to the prepared muffin tin. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- 5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Once the oven reaches temperature, turn it off. Remove the muffin tin from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Place the buns in the turned-off oven until puffed and doubled in size, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the buns from the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until the buns are deep golden brown, 40 to 50 additional minutes. Allow the buns to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and remove the liners. The buns are best served warm, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Make Ahead: After placing the buns in the muffin tin, place the tin in the freezer until the buns are firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer the buns (with the liners) to a zipper-lock bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To finish, return the buns to a muffin tin and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours, then proceed with step #5.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hi! Loved this recipe as soon as I saw it. I made it the other day but when I added the sour cream and the orange juice in it made the dough soooooooooo wet! I had to add sooooooo much more flour to the dough to be able to handle it enough to roll etc.
Where do u think I went wrong? :( just wondering if anyone else had this problem as I followsed the recipe exactly!
Also they turned out mahoooosive. Lol
Nevertheless they were truly delicious and lasted days in an airtight container. I warmed in microwave for about 30seconda in the morning and dough was nice and soft.
Same thing happened for me! I kept having to put the dough back in the freezer to harden it up. It was really just goop, not dough. And I also ended up with really large rounds. They didn’t fit in the tins properly. I haven’t baked yet, though. We’ll see how they turn out in the end!
I just joined today only. I loved your site and recipe.
I love your site and recipes!
These buns look fabulous, I have two questions, if I used a non stick muffin tin and grease it really well, do I still need to use liners?
Also, do they have to spend time in the refrigerator or can I make them and bake them on the same day?
Hi Jenifer, If your pan is non-stick and you grease it REALLY well, you could probably skip the liners. They do need to spend time in the refrigerator, but you could do it all in the same day if you refrigerate for the minimum, 4 hours.
When I saw this recipe I got very excited as I’d been craving cinnamon rolls. So I thought this weekend I’d give them a go. All went according to plan, until this morning when I heated my oven up but instead of 200F it was 200C, very hot!! I put my rolls in before I realised my mistake at which point I quickly took them out, but some of the butter from the dough had started to melt. Anyway let them cool and rise a little on the counter, and have just baked them. Think my oven was a little too hot because the tops of the buns are quite dark, not burnt but dark. It was my mistake, nothing to do with the recipe I hasten to add. Just a tad annoying as was really looking forward to them. Anyway, I’m sure they’ll taste great even though aesthetically they don’t look great. Will keep you posted on how they taste. (I think i was half asleep when I read the remaining instructions this morning LOL)
My family would go crazy for these!
I have heard of morning buns but didn’t realize they are part cinnamon roll, part croissant. They look fab!
I have never heard of morning buns before. Looks like I have been really missing out!!
Do you need to grease the liners if you use parchment paper ones?
Hi Bal, Yes, you should still grease them, they will stick to the pastry otherwise.
I’ve been looking for a base recipe to try to replicate ‘Ocean Rolls’ – a legendary morning bun from one of our local bakeries. This looks like the perfect base for them. Thank you so much for posting this. Stunning!
So, when you combine the sour cream, orange juice, water, and egg to the flour and butter mixture you will still have chunks of butter. Is that right? I’m just not 100% sure on how combined the mixture should actually be. Thanks!
Hi Beth, Yes, there will still be chunks of butter.
Starbucks makes a decent morning bun. Been wishing I could find a recipe for them so am excited to try these!
I have made croissants before, so to have that simplified and cinnamon thrown in is just a gift all the way around!! Thanks!
If only I could eat these every morning!
These look amazing! Love morning buns! :)
These sound delightful!
Can I omit the orange juice. I don’t like orange flavored pastries. What would I replace it with? Thanks
Hi Traci, Yes! You can replace the orange juice with water, and just omit the orange zest from the filling.
I’ve been looking for a morning bun recipe! I LOVE THEM!
I have made morning buns once, and they’re the most incredible tasting things! These look just perfect, and I love the sound of the citrus!
need these for breakfast asap! they look incredible!
Consider me a co-member of the Sisterhood of the Morning Bun. I elect you president, and I can be co-president. I have always been a morning bun fan, and have always wanted to make them. I’ll definitely do so now with these easy to follow decorations. What a nice post to read on this sickly (for me, at least, fighting through a cold) Wednesday!
I am so excited to make these! I have a friend who cannot have anything orange related, is it still just as tasty if I omit the orange juice/zest?
Hi Amy, Yes, just omit the zest from the filling and replace the orange juice with water in the dough.
I can’t get over how delicious these look and sound. Could there be a more perfect combo than a cinnamon roll and croissant? I can’t wait to try these. Thanks for sharing!
Would there be any difference in baking time if I added dried fruits and chopped nuts to the filling? Could you make this savory by omitting the zest and adding ham and cheese as the filling and maybe finely chopped green onions in the dough itself? I am always looking for quick to heat breakfast foods to get everyone out the door in the morning.
Hi Sabine, I think that either of those would work without any alteration to the recipe. Let me know how they turn out!
I can’t believe I’ve never even heard of morning buns, considering my love of both croissants and cinnamon buns! I’ve been trying to convince myself to try making croissants, but they seem like SO much work. This looks like the perfect in between pastry to try first, not as much work but still croissant-like. Thanks for posting this, I’ll definitely be trying it!
You know I’ve never heard of Morning Buns? A tragedy I tell you. Well I’m making these.
I love you and I love morning buns—thank you for speeding up this recipe (although it’s going to be DANGEROUS!)
Michelle, these look amazing. recipe is going into the Got to make these file. Why do you suppose they have you grease the muffin tin and use paper liners too? Just curious
Hi Lori, You don’t need to grease the actual tin, you need to grease the liners. The liners will stick to the pastry, so they need to be greased for easy removal once they come out of the oven.
Hi Michelle,
I’m wondering if at any point you use a mixer for the dough or is it all mixed by hand?
I’ve never had these before and can’t wait to make them.
Hi Julie, It is mixed by hand – no mixer required!
I just love morning buns! These are lovely!
O. M. G. These seem like a lot of work but look so delicious!!!!!
They actually aren’t that much work, believe it or not!
I just finished making (and eating) these babies! They really weren’t that much work. Soooo delicious – thanks for sharing this recipe! New addition to my recipe tin :)