Fastest Cinnamon Buns / Rolls

These are delicious, super fast, tender and moist (thanks to buttermilk & cottage cheese) rolls with no yeast (or rising time) required. The dough is very easy to work with and they are good with or without the glaze. Recipe was created by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley for last-minute orders at her Connecticut bakery, "Great Cakes" and was printed in "Fine Cooking Magazine" (Issue 88). VARIATION: Apple-Butter Cinnamon Buns: For filling, mix 3/4 cup apple butter, 1-1/2 Tbs. melted butter, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Omit the melted butter from the main recipe and spread the dough rectangle with the apple mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup (3 oz.) finely chopped walnuts, if desired. Roll, cut, bake, and ice as directed. Because this filling is wetter, the buns may need to bake for 30 minutes.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 12 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

• or the dough

• 3⁄4 cup cottage cheese (not nonfat)
• 1⁄3 cup buttermilk
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (2 oz.)
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2  cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more for rolling (9 oz.)
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

• For the filling

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (3/4 oz.)
• 2⁄3 cup  packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice (depending on how much spice you like)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 1  cup  finely chopped pecans (4 oz.) or 1  cup walnuts (4 oz.)

• For the glaze

• 2 1⁄2 ounces confectioners' sugar (scant 2/3 cup )
• 2 -3  tablespoons  cold milk (whole or low-fat )
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F Grease the sides and bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan or a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
2. Make the dough:. In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (don’t overprocess). The dough will be soft and moist.
3. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle.
4. Make the filling: Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border unbuttered around the edges. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered area of the dough and pat gently into the surface. Sprinkle the nuts over the sugar mixture.
5. Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill the pan and touch slightly, but don’t worry if there are small gaps.
6. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring (if using). Transfer the rolls to a serving plate.
7. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tbs. milk, and vanilla to make a smooth glaze. It should have a thick but pourable consistency, so add up to 1 Tbs. more milk if necessary. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls. Let stand 15 minutes and serve.