Aran Goyoaga’s Cinnamon Buns
Reprinted with permission from The Art of Gluten-Free Bread by Aran Goyoaga. Published by Artisan Books. Copyright © 2025. Photographs by Aran Goyoaga.
Cinnamon buns are the quintessential comfort breakfast. I make them for lazy weekend mornings, and they are my family’s Christmas morning tradition. Make the dough the night before you are going to serve the buns and chill it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, fill, proof, and bake the buns.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “These Gluten-Free Desserts Will Impress Everyone.”
How to Make It
1
Make the dough. Make the brioche dough as directed. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
2
Roll the dough. The dough will have risen in the refrigerator. Knead it to deflate it and bring back some elasticity. Dust a work surface with some tapioca starch and roll the dough to a rectangle that is about 12 by 18 inches (30.5 by 46 cm.) and ¼ inch (6 mm.) thick.
3
Fill the dough. Make sure your butter is very soft and spreadable, or it can tear the dough. Warm in the microwave for 5 seconds, if needed. Spread the very soft butter all over the dough. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the butter. Starting from a long side, roll the dough into a log, making sure you leave the seam on the bottom.
4
Cut the dough. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut the log into 12 buns that are 1 ½ inches (4 cm.) wide. Place the buns cut-side down on the prepared sheet pan.
5
Proof the buns. Cover the pan with a linen towel or plastic wrap and proof the buns until they are puffed up, 40 to 45 minutes.
6
Preheat the oven. While the buns are proofing, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
7
Bake the buns. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
8
Make the cream cheese icing. While the buns are baking, in a large bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
9
Finish the buns. Once the buns come out of the oven, let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Spread the cream cheese icing all over the top. Serve the buns while warm.
Ingredients
For the Dough
dough for ‘Quickest Buttery Brioche’
tapioca starch, for dusting
For the Filling
110 g very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter or vegan butter
125 grams dark brown sugar
1 ½ tsp (6 grams) ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Icing
150 grams full-fat cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
50 grams very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter or vegan butter
200 grams powdered sugar
10 grams whole milk or oat milk
1 tsp (4 grams) vanilla extract or paste
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