Sliced Almond Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting

At Ladysmith’s Old Town Bakery, chef-owner Kate Cram makes nine different types of cinnamon buns—and these are one of her all-time favourites.

Makes 9 buns

Dough [ingredients]

1 1/3 cups milk

4 cups flour, plus extra for dusting

2 1/2 tsp instant yeast

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Oil, for greasing

Dough [method]

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, warmed milk and butter and whisk together.

Add wet mixture to the dry mixture. Using a dough hook, mix dough on low speed for 90 seconds, until just combined. Increase speed to medium and mix for another 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky and may not completely clear the bottom of the bowl—this is to be expected.

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Set aside for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until dough has doubled in size.

Cinnamon-sugar filling [ingredients]

1 1/4 cups golden yellow brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cinnamon-sugar filling [method]

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Set aside.

Cinnamon buns [ingredients]

Non-stick cooking spray, for greasing (optional)

Flour, for dusting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

Dough (see here)

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Cinnamon buns [method]

Prepare a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.

Place dough on a floured work surface. Roll dough into an 18- x 10-inch rectangle. Using a spatula, spread butter evenly across the surface of the dough. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on top. Scatter almonds evenly on top. Starting at one long side, roll up the dough into an 18-inch log.

Cut the log into 9 pieces, each 2 inches wide. Place cinnamon rolls face up into the prepared pan in 3 x 3 rows, evenly spaced. Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and set aside for 30 minutes to rise.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

When the oven is ready, uncover the pan—the rolls will have risen and filled it—and place on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 36 minutes in a convection oven (or 45 minutes in a regular one), until buns are lightly golden on top and the centre springs back when gently pressed. Set aside for 3 minutes to rest.

Carefully invert pan onto a baking sheet, being mindful that the sugar is very hot. Set aside for another 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Cream cheese frosting [ingredients]

1/2 (250-g) package cream cheese

3 Tbsp butter, room temperature

3/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting [method]

Using an electric mixer, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and fluffy.

Ice buns and serve immediately.

Excerpted from Island Eats: Signature Chefs’ Recipes from Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea by Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari. Photographs by Gabriel Cabrera and Danika McDowell. Recipes copyright © 2021 by Kate Cram, the chef-owner of Wild Poppy Market and Old Town Bakery. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.