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Some recipes make you slow down and enjoy the moment while making them. These orange almond buns are one of those bakes. Inspired by the classic Cardamom Buns but with a bright, citrusy twist. They’re equally as warm and comforting and make a delicious treat for brunch or breakfast.
These Glazed Citrus Almond Buns have orange zest worked into the dough giving the buns a gently freshness and are filled with a rich almond paste filling before being knotted by hand. And once they are baked they are finished with a citrus sugar glaze. And as they sit, the glaze settles into the folds of the bun to have a slightly sweet bun.
Each bite of one of these guarantee comfort and are best when enjoyed with warm drink. Lets slow down time a bit and dive into the details of these delicious buns.
Why You’ll Love These Glazed Citrus Almond Buns
- They taste like a warm hug. That may be strange to say but they truly are so comforting.
- They’re just the right amount of sweetness. Just like cardamom buns, these citrus almond buns are slightly sweetened. It’s that perfect balance when you’re not wanting something as sweet for a snack.
- Great for brunches! If you’re looking for something a little outside the box to make for a breakfast or brunch, these Glazed Citrus Almond Buns are perfect. And they’re sure to be the talk of the table.
What You’ll Need
- Milk
- Salt
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Quick-rise yeast
- Flour
- Orange zest
- Butter
- Almond paste
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
How to Make These Glazed Citrus Almond Buns, Step by Step
Step 1: Activate the yeast for the dough.
Start by heating milk, sugar and salt in a small sauce pan, just until the mixture is dissolved. Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool slightly.
You don’t want the mixture to be too hot or else it will kill the yeast. Add the quick-rise yeast to the milk mixture and stir gently. Let the yeast set to bloom for about 10 minutes. This is where it will activate and start to bubble.
Step 2. Make dough and let it rise for an hour.
Once the yeast is activated, you can start to make your dough. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour and orange zest.
In a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, mix the yeast mixture with with flour mixture until the dough comes together. Mix in butter and increase the speed of the mixture to medium-high for several minutes.
Make sure not to over knead the dough. The dough is supposed to be a soft dough.
Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
Step 3. Make almond filling.
The almond filling is a delicious mixture of almond paste, butter and orange zest. It’s slightly sweet, and nutty with little flecks of orange zest. Delish!
While the dough is rising. Add butter, almond paste and orange zest to the bowl of your electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter mixture until smooth and creamy.
Step 4. Roll out the dough, assemble buns and rise for 1 more hour.
Lightly flour a clean, flat surface and roll out your dough into a 20×14-inch rectangle. Spread the almond paste filling over the entirety of the dough.
Before the dough is sliced and twisted, you have to create the layers. To do this, fold the dough like a trifold. Roll out the dough again into a 20x 14 inch rectangle and cut into 14-16 strands.
Tie the dough strands in a knot (See Directions Below on how to create a dough knot.) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet to rise for one more hour.
Step 5. Bake the buns, brush with glaze, and enjoy.
After the dough knots have completed their second rise, bake the buns in a preheated oven at 425ºF for 11-14 minutes until golden brown on top.
As soon as they are out of the oven, brush with the almond sugar glaze and let them cool for 10 minutes before enjoying. The flavor gets better as they sit!
How to Fold and Knot the Buns
Once you have folded your dough and rolled it out into a rectangle, you will cut the dough into strips about half-inch thick. Take each strip of dough and follow these instructions to create your knots:
- Take one strip and gently stretch it a little.
- Wrap the strip around two fingers (like you’re wrapping ribbon), going around 2–3 times.
- Tuck the loose end underneath the bun and gently press to secure.
- Set on the baking sheet with the tucked end on the bottom.
How to Store the Citrus Almond Buns
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Make sure the buns are cooled completely before storing.
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Glazed Citrus Almond Buns
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 14–16 buns 1x
Description
These Glazed Citrus Almond Buns are inspired by the classic Cardamom Buns but with a bright, citrusy twist. They’re equally as warm and comforting and make a delicious treat for brunch or breakfast.
Ingredients
Yeast Dough
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp quick-rise yeast
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tbsp tsp orange zest
- 5 tbsp room temp. butter (cubed)
Almond Orange Filling
- 5 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/3 cup almond paste
- 2 tsp orange zest
Sugar Glaze
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Grease a large mixing bowl. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat milk, sugar, and salt, stirring until the mixture is dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Stir in quick-rise yeast to the milk mixture. Let the yeast bloom for 10 minutes until bubbly.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and orange zest.
- Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour mixture into the yeast mixture on low until the dough comes together.
- Add in cubed butter and increase the speed to medium-high to knead for 3-4 minutes. The dough should be soft, so be careful not to over knead the dough.
- Scrape the dough out of the bowl and form it into a ball. Place the dough in the bowl and let it rise in a warm place for an hour. We like to use the microwave.
- Meanwhile, make the almond filling. In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, mix butter, orange zest, and almond paste. Set aside until the dough has risen.
- Form dough and proof. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a 20 x 14-inch rectangle. Spread the almond filling, creating a thin layer that goes to the edges.
- Fold the dough in a trifold. Fold the shorter side to the middle, and the other side on top of it. Roll out the dough into an even layer.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut half-inch thick strands. You should be able to make about 14-16 strands.
- Hold the end of the strand, wrap it twice around your fingers and wrap the end of the strand over and through the middle. It should look like a knot. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect. Place the knotted bun on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the buns are formed.
- Cover the buns with a kitchen towel and let them proof for 1 hour. The buns should rise a bit but will not be very fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and bake the buns for 11-15 minutes, until golden brown on top. While the buns are baking, mix together the glaze in a small bowl. Add sugar, water, vanilla, and almond extract to a bowl and whisk until sugar has dissolved.
- Brush the buns immediately after removing them from the oven.
- Let them cool for about 10 minutes before enjoying.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
