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How about some serious color for your Friday?
I know I had tons of color yesterday, but I just can’t seem to get enough of the NEON’s lately. I 100% blame the snow. UGH. Way too much snow going on over here for me.
No snow talk today though because I really just want to talk all about these lemon poppy-seed morning buns.
I feel like it’s Friday (ahh..cause it is!) and that really all we all need today is a quick chat, and then some seriously real buns baking in our ovens. And I do mean REAL buns, like not the baby kind, the carby delicious sweet kind. AKA the best kind!
So you know how there are cinnamon buns, and buns filled with things like butterscotch and walnuts? Well, these are sort of like those bun, but better. So much better.
Epic even, I mean, are you looking at the buns I am looking at? I wish you could have seen them up close and in person because these buns? Straight out of the oven? With that blueberry glaze and a spoonful of passionfruit?
Yes, EPIC.
These are not just any morning buns, these are like a croissant/bun hybrid. There are layers upon layers of flakey dough and INCREDIBLY, the best part? These buns are quick and easy! Well, relatively quick and easy compared to traditional morning buns.
For the dough, I used a recipe from one of my favorite bloggers, Mandy. Mandy writes the food blog Lady and Pups and if you guys have never visited her site, you should do so now. She has some of the most creative and delicious recipes, not to mention stunning photography. Clearly I think she is pretty awesome.
So using Mandy’s dough as a base, I made these semi-easy morning buns. Thinking they are picture perfect for the Easter table. Again, those colors!!
The filling is a delicious lemon poppy-seed sugar that gets spiked with a little cinnamon and a little vanilla. It’s everything you could ever want in a spring morning bun.
But you know, I didn’t stop there because you know how I just can’t stop myself from building upon flavors (gotta have it all!). I added a meyer lemon blueberry glaze and then topped it with some passionfruit, which by the way, may just be my new favorite fruit. Before a month or so ago, I had never even had a passionfruit before. It’s one of those fruits that’ s not easily available to me, so I just never tried it, but then I pretty much demanded that Whole Foods find me some because I was bored and needed something new. Thankfully they where awesome and managed to get their hands on passionfruit. I clearly bought an entire case… and then proceeded to eat them all within like three days. Passionfruit is so good. Seriously.
Somehow I managed to save some for these buns though. Yeah!!
Also, how many times do you think I have used the word buns throughout this post thus far. I would count, but there have been way too many for my tired brain to even begin to compute. Let’s just say there’s been a lot, and I should probably stop saying the word buns. It’s beginning to feel weird.
Anyway, I feel like there are a lot of things that make these so delicious. One, the butter, there is a whole 2 1/2 sticks. So 2 1/4 cups and 20 tablespoons butter. Yup.
BUTTAHH. Got to love it.
Two, that sweet lemony, cinnamon sugar and poppy-seed filling. I mean, do I even need to explain why? Didn’t think so.
And three, that glaze. Not only is the color insanely awesome (like how is it that it turned out to be so pink??), but the taste is perfect. Then add the passionfruit… well, yeah, heaven on a spring morning! Another cheesy line (what’s with me this week?), but so true.
I will not lie that they take a little bit of prep work, but I promise they are way easier than the long recipe below may lead you to believe. Don’t let anything steer you away from making these. Really don’t.
Plus, with Easter coming up, hopefully you’ll have a little extra time to make something fun like these. And if you ‘re entertaining? Trust me, your guests will love you for these!
Make um. Eat um. Love um.
Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Morning Buns with Blueberry Passionfruit Glaze.
Servings: 6 Buns
Calories Per Serving: 1605 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups + 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 1/8 cups hot water
- 1/4 teaspoon + 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 2 1/2 cups sticks unsalted butter cold, 1 1/4
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
Filling
- zest of 1-2 meyer lemons I used 1 1/2
- 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped out (optional)
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Glaze
- 4 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons meyer lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- passionfruit and blueberries for topping
Instructions
Dough
- In a bowl, mix together the hot tap water, 2 cups bread flour and 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast. Mix together using a fork or spoon until a shaggy dough forms, cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the butter mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cold butter and flour (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the butter out of the bowl and place on a piece of wax or parchment paper. Set aside at room temperature, do not clean the bowl as you can use it to make the dough.
- After 20 minutes, finish the dough. Switch your mixer to the dough hook. Using the same bowl you made the butter mixture in, combine the remaining flour/water/yeast mixture, plus the remaining bread 2 1/2 cups bread flour, 3 teaspoons yeast, brown sugar, salt and warm milk. Knead the dough on the lowest speed to incorporate the ingredients and then turn it up to medium speed for about 3-5 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be a little wet and sticky, but should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- *Dust your work surface generously with flour and then scrape the dough out onto your floured counter. Dust the top of the dough with more flour and then roll the dough out into a rectangle that is roughly 13 inches long by 10 inches wide. Now keeping the width at 10 inches, continue to roll the length to about 33 inches long (yes, I know, it's long). It does not have to be perfect, but it should be a long rectangle in shape. In the end, you are looking for a rectangle that is roughly 33 inches long by 10 inches wide.
- Now grab that butter and scatter it over the dough. Use a knife to gently smear the butter over the dough in an even layer and all the way to the edges. Lift up the side of the dough up and fold over five times until you get to the end of the dough. Gently pinch the ends together to seal the dough. You should now have a rectangle that is roughly 10 inches long and 6 inches wide. Again, it does not need to be perfect.
- Ok now, roll that dough out one more time into a rectangle that is 33 inches long by 10 inches wide. Fold it over five times from one side to another. Place the dough on a floured pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 1/2 hours or overnight.
Filling/Baking the Buns
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 6 (8 ounce) ramekins or 12 muffins cups.
- In a bowl, combine the zest of 1 lemon, the vanilla bean seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon and sugar.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll out into 18 inch long x 10 inch wide rectangle. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer. If desired you can also sprinkle in some blueberries. Tightly roll the dough length-wise into a long log. Using a long sharp knife, cut the dough into six pieces for big buns or 12 pieces for smaller buns. Place the rolls in the prepared pan and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let the buns sit 30 minutes or until slightly puffy.
- Bake in the oven for 30 mins or until golden browned and puffed (if the top is browning too fast, lower the temperature slightly for the last 15 minutes).
Glaze
- In a small sauce pan over medium high heat cook the blueberries and water until mixture resembles thick syrup. Strain the blueberries, reserving the juice/syrup mixture. Combine blueberry syrup with the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons meyer lemon juice and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add more lemon juice to thin as needed.
- Serve the buns warm, drizzled with the blueberry glaze and topped with passion fruit.
Notes
*Dough recipe adapted from the amazing [Mandy of Lady and Pups | http://ladyandpups.com/2014/03/12/speed-folding-peanut-sugar-morning-buns-eng/]. Mandy has and amazingly helpful picture of folding these buns if you find my directions confusing. Click over for her photo. It's awesome!
But really, those layers?!?! Aren’t they insane???
Do these keep it do they need to be eaten right away?
HI Sarah! These will keep for up to 3 days, but are best enjoy within the 1st day or 2. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Where do you find passionfruit in Colorado??!! I so need to try these. Thank you!
I found mine at whole foods, but I do not think they have them anymore. SORRY!
Just wanted to say I made these buns 2 weeks ago and they were absolutely delightful! A lot of work, but oh, so worth it! Thank you so much, Tieghan! I’m making them again soon!
These look AMAZING and I’m making them right now! 1 question: the recipe only uses ¼ teaspoon and it never says to incorporate the other 3 teaspoons. What should I do?
Hey Marina,
so sorry about that. I fixed the recipe, but you add the remaining yeast with the flour mix. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Tieghan!
Going to give this a try
Gorgeous! Butter definitely makes everything yummy 🙂
These look amazing and the color is phenomenal. I think you just changed what I am making for Easter morning 🙂 My toddler is going to LOVE these! Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos, stories, and recipes.
That color!! And I love the poppy seeds!
That glaze is just the best, I love these buns!
Wow – the color of that glaze is almost obscenely vibrant! So gorgeous. These buns are practically a work of art!