Cinnamon bun ingredients
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour
Filling Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Glaze Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the 2 tablespoons of butter. Let it bubble and foam and when you see it start to brown, stir it so that it browns evenly. When it’s the color of dark honey, remove it from the heat and pour it into a large heat-safe mixer bowl to cool. In the same saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk until it bubbles. Remove it from the heat and pour it into the bowl with the butter. Let these cool until they’re about 100-110 degrees F (use a candy thermometer to check).
Stir the sugar and yeast into the milk/butter mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes to proof (it should foam; if it doesn’t, discard it yeast and try again with new yeast). Stir in pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup flour. If you haven’t already, fit your mixer with a dough hook. Add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring between each addition. When the dough is combined, knead on low speed with a dough hook until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes with a mixer).
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles in size (After it rises, you can put it in the fridge overnight to use it in the morning, but let it sit out for half an hour before rolling if you do.)
Make the filling: While the dough is rising, combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter together in a mixer if you have one. if not, let the butter get very soft and combine by hand.
Making the Glaze: Melt the butter and combine all ingredients with a fork.. beat until smooth.
Once the dough has proofed flour your work surface and roll your dough out to a long rectangle. spread the filling out evenly along the bottom half of the dough and fold it in half length wise. Then cut out strips with a pizza cutter at an even width (however big you want) roll them up and place them loosely in a greased baking dish to proof. Once they have doubled in size, bake them at 350 for about 20 mins or until lightly browned on top. Then drizzle with the glaze.
