Easy Cinnamon Buns

Here is an easy cinnamon bun recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten - The Barefoot Contessa.  It can be made in less than an hour, using store bought frozen puff pastry.  No need to make a yeast dough and let it rise.  This is a simple and easy treat to make. 


I substituted raisins for the nuts as my husband has a nut allergy.  I also used a teaspoon of the butter mixture in each muffin cup instead of the Tablespoon.  As well, depending on your oven, you might not need them to bake for the full 30 minutes.  I took mine out at 25 minutes, and should have actually taken them out after 20 minutes.  These were a lovely treat to have with my coffee (or tea) on a Sunday morning.


You must fight the urge to press down on these when you place them in the muffin cup prior to baking.  They will work out fine.  Just follow the recipe and the end result will be scrumptious!

Easy Cinnamon Buns

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa-Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 12

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

3. Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/2 cup raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

4. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.