Sheet Pan

Sheet-Pan Cinnamon Buns

by:
March 25, 2024
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Sheet-Pan Cinnamon Buns
Photo by MJ Kroeger
  • Prep time 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • makes 12 buns
Author Notes

Cinnamon buns are the ultimate breakfast treat. They can rouse grumpy teenagers from bed, and make people who say they don’t eat breakfast cave in. To give these buns a dairy-free update, we swapped out dairy milk for Planet Oat Extra Creamy Oatmilk in the dough, the ooey-gooey icing, and—most important of all—the tangzhong. This Asian yeast bread technique hydrates the dough for particularly plush cinnamon rolls.

For extra oat flavor, we also added a smidge of oats to the spiced, brown-sugar filling. Baking them on a sheet pan (we used a quarter tray, but you can use any size) gives them a beautiful color, allowing them to become evenly golden brown.

If you want to get a head start on the recipe, the icing can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, until you’re ready to use it, for 2-4 days. You can also store the baked cinnamon rolls wrapped well at room temperature for a couple of days or freeze for up to a month. (Just thaw overnight in the fridge and gently warm in the oven.) In both cases, be sure to ice the buns just before serving. —Food52

Test Kitchen Notes

Planet Oat compensated Food52 for providing content contained in this article. —Food52

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the tangzhong:
  • 1/2 cup Planet Oat Extra Creamy Oatmilk
  • 3 tablespoons (24 grams) all-purpose flour
  • —
  • For the dough:
  • 2/3 cup (151 grams) Planet Oat Extra Creamy Oatmilk at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 4 tablespoons (57 grams) plant-based butter, softened
  • —
  • For the filling:
  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) plant-based butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup (107 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 teaspoons (8 grams) cinnamon, more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant)
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • —
  • For the icing:
  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) plant-based butter, melted and divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) Planet Oat Extra Creamy Oatmilk, more to taste or desired thickness
Directions
  1. Make the tangzhong. Combine both the oatmilk and flour in a small saucepan, whisk together until no lumps remain. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until thick and the spoon or spatula leaves a trail on the bottom of the pan about 1-3 minutes.
  2. Make the dough. Remove the tangzhong from the heat and scrape it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the oatmilk, then the flour and remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment 4 minutes until a smooth dough forms, then knead on medium speed about 10 minutes. The dough will be ready when it is smooth, elastic and a little sticky.
  3. Using lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or clean dish towel. Let the dough rise until puffed, about 90 minutes depending on the warmth of your kitchen. It may not necessarily double in size, so fear not if it doesn't.
  4. While the dough is rising, make the filing. Add the melted butter into a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients, stirring until the mixture is the texture of damp sand. Set aside. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment or a silpat.
  5. To assemble the cinnamon rolls, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 12” x 20” rectangle that’s about 1/2” thick. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, covering all but a 1/2” strip along the longer side. Starting with the longer, filling-covered side, roll the dough into a tight log.
  6. Score the dough lightly into 1 1/2” thick pieces. Cut the dough at the score marks using dental floss or a sharp knife or bench scraper. (The floss will make the neatest slices. To use, pull off a long piece, loop it underneath the log at the score mark, and pull the ends in opposite directions to cut the dough. Repeat until you've cut all of the cinnamon rolls.)
  7. Place the cinnamon rolls onto the prepared baking sheet (4 rows of 3 is our recommendation). Tuck the tail ends of the rolls underneath each one so that they’re held in place as they rise.
  8. Cover the cinnamon rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let them rise for 30 minutes (or a little longer depending on the warmth of your kitchen). When they are ready, the cinnamon rolls will be puffy and won't immediately bounce back when gently pressed.
  9. Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the top third of the oven. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 14 to 18 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. You can have a more accurate reading by using a digital thermometer inserted into the center. It should read 190°F
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