Cinnamon Rolls (with a twist)

Cinnamon rolls, scrolls, buns — whichever name you go by — the smell alone of cinnamon and butter bubbling away in the oven is enough to make anyone weak at the knees. If you’ve ever walked past a Cinnabon store while they’re baking, you’ll know exactly what I mean. I find it very difficult not to give in to the temptation… right up until I remember how aggressively sweet most of them are.

There’s also something deeply satisfying about making them properly from scratch at home. Yes, baking with yeast can feel a little intimidating and, if you’re anything like me, patience is probably not one of your stronger personality traits. Unfortunately this recipe doesn’t solve either of those problems. What it does do is give you a fairly straightforward dough that’s hard to completely ruin as long as you let it do its thing and don’t try to rush it. In return you get a cinnamon scented kitchen and warm, buttery cinnamon buns made with your own hands, which feels worth the effort every single time.

Now for the fun part — and the slightly controversial twist. A very well-loved Australian pantry staple that I still personally haven’t managed to fully embrace somehow has found its way into these moorish cinnamon filled vessels. Yes, I’m talking about Vegemite. Stay with me.

Before anyone panics, this is not about turning cinnamon buns savoury. The trick is restraint. Used sparingly in both the base and filling, it doesn’t taste like Vegemite once baked. What it does do is cut through some of the richness and sweetness, giving the buns a depth that most cinnamon roll recipes are missing. Butter tastes more buttery, the cinnamon comes through more clearly and the whole thing feels more balanced rather than just relentlessly sugary. Go heavy-handed though and you absolutely will end up with something confusing and slightly regrettable.

I haven’t tested freezing them before the final proof and bake, but I suspect they’d freeze very well at that stage if you want a stash ready to go for future cravings — or simply don’t have enough people around willing to demolish a full tray while they’re fresh, which is definitely when they’re at their best.

Worth Making?

• Yes — if you love cinnamon rolls but usually find them sickly sweet
• Yes — if you find something genuinely satisfying about pulling a tray of homemade cinnamon buns out of the oven and the smell that will permeate your kitchen
• Yes — if you’re curious about throwing a little Vegemite in there to tone down the sweetness without turning this into a confused not sweet, savoury situation
• Skip it — if your ideal cinnamon roll is quick and easy, grab one from your favourite bakery and save yourself the effort
• Skip it — if you want a quick one-bowl bakery treat, yeast has its own timeline and doesn’t care about yours
• Skip it — if you’re nervous about the Vegemite, and not feeling a little adventurous. Or try it on the base of a few buns if you are curios but don’t feel prepared to commit fully.

Make it your own way

• Leave out the glaze entirely for a much less sweet version and less messy version
• Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the dough, filling or sprinkle toasted after frosting for some added texture
• Add a pinch of cardamom or wattleseed to the filling for extra warmth and depth
• Swap part of the brown sugar for dark brown sugar if you want a deeper caramel flavour
• Add a little orange zest to the glaze if you want a slightly stronger flavour profile than lemon to cut the sweetness
• Skip the Vegemite if you just can’t get your head around it – they’ll still work, just more traditional and less balanced
• Bake them slightly closer together for softer sides, or spaced apart for more golden edges
• Pour a small amount of cream underneath before baking if you want softer, richer centres
• Up the base mixture (add another quarter of the recipe) if you want a more geewy and caramely bun