Description
These Apple Morning Buns are tender, flaky pastries filled with a buttery cinnamon-apple filling and baked to golden perfection. They’re slightly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and coated with a light dusting of sugar. Perfect with coffee or tea!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Dough:
- 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm milk (about 110°F / 45°C)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
For the Apple Filling:
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work best)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (to thicken)
For the Topping:
- 1/4 cup melted butter (for brushing)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon (for rolling)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough:
- In a small bowl, mix yeast, warm milk, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, remaining sugar, and salt.
- Add the yeast mixture, vanilla, and egg. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead in the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a stand mixer).
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
2. Make the Apple Filling:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring, until apples soften.
- Stir in cornstarch and cook for 1 more minute to thicken.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Roll & Fill the Dough:
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle.
- Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the dough.
- Roll up the dough tightly from the long side to form a log.
- Slice into 12 equal pieces and place in a greased muffin tin.
4. Second Rise & Bake:
- Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
5. Coat with Cinnamon Sugar:
- Brush warm buns with melted butter and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture for a sweet, crunchy coating.
6. Serve & Enjoy:
- Let the buns cool slightly before serving. They’re best enjoyed warm!
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise overnight in the fridge.
- For extra flakiness, use puff pastry dough instead of homemade dough.
- Try different apples! Granny Smith adds tartness, while Honeycrisp makes them extra sweet.
- These buns pair wonderfully with maple glaze, caramel sauce, or a dusting of powdered sugar.