Shortcut Cinnamon Morning Buns
If you love warm, gooey cinnamon morning buns but don’t have the time (or patience!) for homemade laminated dough, this shortcut cinnamon morning bun recipe is about to become your new breakfast obsession. By using store-bought puff pastry, you get all the buttery, flaky layers of a traditional bakery-style morning bun—without the hours of folding, chilling, and rolling. These easy cinnamon sugar pastries bake up beautifully crisp on the outside, soft and swirled on the inside, and coated in a caramelized cinnamon sugar crust that tastes straight out of a gourmet bakery!
Traditional morning buns are made with laminated dough—similar to croissant dough—that requires multiple rounds of rolling, folding, and chilling to create those signature buttery layers. But this shortcut cinnamon morning bun recipe swaps the from-scratch laminated dough for store-bought puff pastry, giving you the same flaky, layered, bakery-style texture with almost no effort. Puff pastry behaves just like the classic dough once baked: it rises into crisp, golden layers that cradle a gooey cinnamon sugar swirl, delivering all the flavor and flakiness of a traditional morning bun without the time commitment. It’s the perfect hack for home bakers who want warm, fresh morning buns in under an hour instead of spending an entire day folding dough.
FAQS
Q: What is the difference between a morning bun and a cinnamon roll/sticky bun?
A: Morning buns use a flaky, layered croissant dough, while cinnamon rolls or sticky buns are typically made with a softer, bread-like yeasted dough. Morning buns also usually don’t have cream cheese frosting but are rolled in sugar after baking for a crispy exterior.
Q: What kind of pan should I use?
A: Use a muffin tin with at least 12 wells!
Q: How should I serve morning buns?
A: Serve warm with your favorite latte, cup of coffee, or tea! If you want to elevate them, you can add a cream cheese frosting drizzle!
Q: How do I store morning buns?
A: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. DO NOT refrigerate, as this can make the buns go dry.
Q: How can I reheat morning buns?
A: Set your oven to 350F and bake for 5-10 minutes or reheat in the microwave for 20-45 seconds. Adding a spritz of water or brush of melted butter before reheating can help prevent dryness.
Shortcut Cinnamon Morning Buns
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry dough thawed but cold
- 6 tbsp softened butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing inside muffin tins
- ½ cup granulated sugar for coating
- 2 tsp cinnamon for coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush the wells of a standard muffin tin generously with melted butter, making sure the bottoms and sides are well coated.
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon. Set aside.Lay out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Spread 3 tbsp softened butter evenly over each sheet.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon–brown sugar mixture evenly over both sheets of puff pastry, pressing gently so it adheres. Starting from the long side, roll each sheet into a tight log.
- Using a sharp knife, slice each log into 6 equal pieces, giving you 12 morning buns total.
- Place each slice cut-side up into the buttered muffin tin.Bake for 22–28 minutes, or until the buns are puffed, deeply golden, and caramelized around the edges.
- While the buns are baking, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl.Once the buns come out of the oven, let them sit for 5 minutes, then remove from the muffin tin. Immediately roll or toss the warm buns in the cinnamon sugar mixture to create a crunchy, sparkling coating.
- Enjoy warm! These buns are best the day they’re made but can be reheated at 300°F for 5–7 minutes.
