Cinnamon Buns

OOOO LAAA LAAA!!!!  This is just love with sugar on top!  :-)  Our family breakfast favorite has always been cinnamon buns!  When we found out my sweet baby has to do without gluten, this is one thing we missed the most!  Nicole Hunn at www.glutenfreeonashoestring.com  has the best recipe in her cookbook - which, of course, I have!  It is titled Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Quick and Easy:  100 Recipes For the Food You Love - Fast!  Love it!!!!

Pic of buns right out of the oven - mmmmmmm, scrumptious!  This was one of those times I had to use my brand new rolling pen!  

Ingredients:

3 1/2 to 4 cups high quality gluten free flour

2 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

12 Tbl unsalted butter at room temp

2 extra large eggs at room temp lightly beaten

1 cup milk at room temp

1 cup light brown sugar

2 Tbl ground cinnamon

4 oz mascarpone cheese at room temp*

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease the wells of a standard 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, place 3 1/2 cups of the flour, xanthan gum (if needed), baking powder, 1/4 tsp of the salt, ant the granulated sugar and whisk well.  Add 6 tablespoons of the butter, the eggs and the milk and mix until the dough comes together.  The dough should be smooth and relatively easy to handle.  If the dough seems sticky, add more flour by the tablespoon and knead it in with well-floured hands until the dough is smooth.

3.  Turn the dough out onto a piece of lightly floured unbleached parchment paper.  Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll the dough into a 10 by 15 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick (no thinner). 

4.  In a separate small bowl, place the brown sugar, cinnamon, 4 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining 1/8 tsp of salt and mix well.  Set the bowl aside.

5.  With a small offset spatula or large spoon, spread the cinnamon mixture in an even layer over the top of the dough, leaving about 1/4 inch clean around the perimeter.  Starting at a long side, roll the dough away from you into a tightly formed roll. Slice the roll in cross-section into 12 equal pieces, each about 1 inch thick.  Place each roll in the well of the prepared muffing tin.

6.  Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes ro until the rolls begin to turn golden brown and the filling starts to bubble out of them.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool until the rolls are firm enough to handle, and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Be sure to remove the rolls from the muffin tin before they are completely cool or they will begin to stick to the baking pan.

7.  While the rolls are cooling, make the icing.  In a separate small bowl, mix together the mascarpone, the remaining 2 Tbl of butter and the confectioners' sugar until smooth but thickly pourable.  Drizzle or spread the icing on the rolls before serving.

*So, I am sure that Nicole's sugary drizzle is to die for but to be honest, I don't even know where the mascarpone cheese is found in the store!  :-P  I use some melted butter, milk and enough confectioners' sugar to make the mixture thick and yummy!

Just look at that gooey goodness!!!!  I should have taken a picture of my boys while eating these!  You should have seen their faces when they sunk their teeth into these things!  It just warmed my heart!  I'm sure I was so overwhelmed with pride over their pleasure that I didn't think to take a pic!

Let me know if you try these!  Enjoy!!
XOXO