The life of a micro baker is an early one. While the world is still asleep, micro bakers are already at work. The aroma of freshly prepped dough fills their kitchens, and the anticipation of sharing their craft with the community fuels their passion. From waking up early to begin the rhythm of kneading dough, or setting up a weekend farmer’s market stand, micro bakers are masters of the mornings.

Enter the morning bun, a delightful pastry that captures the essence of mornings. They’re the perfect blend of flaky layers, cinnamon-spiced filling, and a touch of sweetness that starts your customer's day off right.

Whether your customers are perusing your baked goods at a farmer’s market or checking your social media for your weekly offerings, morning buns are a great way to deliver a happy start to your customer's morning.

Morning buns are also an excellent canvas for your creativity! Get into the holiday spirit with a delicious orange filling, or top your morning buns with some chopped walnuts to add some texture to every bite. By changing the toppings or filling, you can bake with the seasons, and keep your customers excited for what's to come.

This recipe comes straight from the Simply Bread oven of All You Knead’s micro baker, Lisa Allen. Lisa has been operating her micro bakery since 2020 and has been providing her town, Readington Township, New Jersey, with daily crusted artisan delights. While Lisa’s recipe is vegan, the dairy-free ingredients can be substituted to make non-vegan morning buns as well.

Ingredients

• 720ml non-dairy milk
• 170ml avocado oil
• 75g sugar
• 10g yeast
• 1035g all-purpose flour
• 7g salt
• 250g softened plant-based butter
• 250g brown sugar
• 15g ground cinnamon

‍

Instructions

1. Whisk your non-dairy milk, avocado oil, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.
2. Gradually add your flour and salt into the bowl, mixing thoroughly until a dough begins to form.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. In a separate bowl, beat your softened plant-based butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon together until well combined.
5. Store the filling mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
6. Preheat your Simply Bread oven to 365°.
7. With a rolling pin, roll out your chilled dough until you have a 12” x 24” rectangle.
8. Take your filling from the fridge and spread an even layer over your chilled dough.
9. Roll your dough into a log shape, starting from the long edge.
10. Cut your dough log into 2” pieces, making approximately 14 buns, and place them in a greased muffin or cupcake tin sheet.
11. Bake your morning buns at 365° for 20-25 minutes before letting them cool for 15 minutes.
12. Remove your buns from the pan and give them a light spritz of water on top before topping them with cinnamon sugar. This will help the cinnamon sugar adhere to the buns.
13. Serve and enjoy!