Warm, cozy chai spice, plus pumpkin and cinnamon? Yes, please – let’s put it all together in Chai Spice Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns!
There are a few times in my life where I have found myself completely surprised that I’ve just experienced something spectacular. One of those times was travelling to Rome, Italy.
My best friend I have (and had up to that point) travelled to many different countries all around the world, but for some reason Rome just never seemed like a place where I could find myself. Maybe I’d built it up too much in my head, piecing together what I remembered from BBC documentaries about Ancient Rome and all the Western Art History classes I took in university. Walking along the cobble stoned sidewalks just seemed unreal to me.
The first time I made cinnamon buns, it was just the same awe-filled sensation.
I didn’t grow up cooking and baking with my mom. Not that there wasn’t lots of it going on, though. I guess you could say my teenage apathy faze lasted several years before and after I was a teenager.
I didn’t become a foodie until my early 20s, when my best friend and I found a place to live together. That was when I really began to appreciate food, experiment with different cuisines, and decided to go vegan (during the summer of 2001). I learnt a lot about cooking and baking from my best friend.
Above all, making food for yourself is worthwhile in itself.
Although my bestie lives on another continent now, I feel sure that he would appreciate this recipe and we would enjoy making it together if he were here. When he moved away, I had to figure out how to make all my meals (for one) – which was kind of fun in a way. I have several series of posts coming up to share some of my most successful creations. 🙂
Once, I brought in a sheet cake to work and my co-workers asked me what the occasion was. Does dessert need an occasion to be enjoyed? Umm…no! Make these to celebrate the everyday special occasion. Or make up a reason to celebrate – just go make these! 😀
Hooray for Chai Spice Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns!
This recipe calls for Pumpkin Butter, which you can make yourself or buy (just check to make sure it’s vegan). It also calls for Chai Spice.
Here are the ingredients I used for Chai Spice:
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
3 tsp ground ginger
VEGAN CHAI SPICE PUMPKIN CINNAMON BUNS
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ TEASPOONS YEAST
- 1 CUP SOY MILK OR OTHER DAIRY FREE MILK
- 6 ½ TABLESPOONS VEGAN MARGARINE
- ½ TEASPOON SALT
- 1 TEASPOON CHAI SPICE
- ⅓ CUP BROWN SUGAR
- ⅓ CUP PUMPKIN PUREE
- 3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- ½ TSP + 1 TABLESPOON CINNAMON
- ½ CUP PUMPKIN BUTTER
Instructions
- IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN ON MEDIUM HEAT, HEAT SOY MILK AND 2 TBSP OF VEGAN MARGARINE. DON'T LET IT BOIL. TAKE OFF STOVE WHEN THE IT'S BATH-TEMPERATURE.
- SPRINKLE YEAST AND WAIT 10 MINUTES.
- ADD 1 TBSP BROWN SUGAR, SALT, ½ TSP CINNAMON, AND CHAI SPICE. STIR TOGETHER AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES.
- IN A MEDIUM MIXING BOWL, ADD THE LIQUID INGREDIENTS.
- ADD ½ CUP OF FLOUR AT A TIME AND MIX AS YOU GO. IF IT GETS DIFFICULT TO MIX IN THE BOWL, TRANSFER THE DOUGH TO A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE TO FORM IN TO A LARGE DOUGH BALL.
- IN A CLEAN MIXING BOWL, ADD A COATING OF CANOLA OIL AND THE DOUGH BALL. SWIRL AROUND THE DOUGH BALL IN THE OIL AND COVER THE BOWL WITH PLASTIC WRAP.
- SET ASIDE FOR AN HOUR TO RISE.
- ROLL OUT THE DOUGH BALL IN A RECTANGULAR.
- BRUSH ON THE PUMPKIN BUTTER, MARGARINE, REST OF THE SUGAR, AND SPRINKLE ON CINNAMON AND CHAI SPICE (OPTIONAL).
- ROLL IN TO A LOG.
- CUT THE DOUGH LOG IN TO BETWEEN 6 AND 10 PIECES WITH A SHARP OR SERRATED KNIFE.
- PLACE PIECES IN AN OILED OVEN-SAFE DISH.
- BRUSH TOPS WITH MARGARINE AND PUMPKIN BUTTER IF YOU'D LIKE.
- BAKE AT 350 FOR 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL TOPS ARE GOLDEN BROWN.
Notes
PIN THIS:
If you’ve never made cinnamon buns before, this recipe may seem daunting, but I assure you that it’s pretty easy to put together. It does take a bit of time, from start to finish, but it’s so worth the wait! I doubt myself every time I bake, but things generally turn out pretty tasty. I hope you’ll try this recipe and let me know how you like it!
