Cranberry Orange Jam Buns

I've ALWAYS wanted to make homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, but it never happened... until this year! I decided to add jam to the traditional morning buns to make them extra special. They turned out pretty good for a first-timer, usually yeast is not my friend. I wrote this recipe so you can make them the night before and then pull out and bake in the morning. In my photos shown, I did the glaze while the buns were still HOT. I recommend waiting a little bit so you can see more of the glaze drizzles. Either way, they taste JAM good!

If you try this recipe, don’t forget to take a picture and use the hashtag #AustinJamCompanyEATS

Dough:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Jam filling:

1 oz of Holiday Jammies

1/2 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 oz of Cointreau - Optional

Egg wash:
1 large egg
Pinch kosher salt

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. First start by making the dough. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until combined.
2. Add the buttermilk, egg, and 2 tablespoons of the softened butter. Beat on low speed until a sticky dough forms, about 30 seconds.
3. Replace the paddle with the dough hook and knead on medium-high speed until the dough is smooth and sticks to the bottom of the bowl and only a little to the sides, 3 to 5 minutes. If the dough is still quite sticky after 3 minutes, add an additional tablespoon or two of bread flour.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl, grease the bowl with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter and return the dough to it, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until almost doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
5. Next, let's start on the filling! Add 2oz of Holiday Jammies, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla. BONUS you can add 1 oz of cointreau (or any orange liquor)  if you have some on hand. Put in the fridge.
6. Now, let's start on the buns! Coat an 8-inch round baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter. Line the bottom with a parchment paper round.
7. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle (approx. 10-by-14-inch).
8. Spread 2 tablespoons of (very) soft butter onto the dough.
9. Pour some of the jam mixture in a line across the longest side of the dough. Don't pour too much.
10. Start with the side with the jam mixture, slowly roll the dough away from you to create a long cylinder. Add more jam if needed as you roll. You will have extra of the jam mixture.
11. When it's all rolled up, pinch together to close off. The dough will be pretty wet / soft.
12. Cut the dough into 8 pieces.
13. Transfer buns into your prepared baking pan. They will not fill up the whole 8" pan (but they will once they bake).
14. Brush the buns with the egg wash and then loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
15. In the morning remove the buns from the fridge and let rise until they are about 1 1/2 times their original size, about 1-2 hours.
16. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF.
17. Now let's make the glaze! Place 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, whisk to combine.
18. Once the buns are ready for the oven, bake for 25-30 mins.
19. Remove from the oven and flip the buns on to a wire rack to cool slightly.
20. Once cooled, drizzle with more of the jam mixture and then your glaze.
21. Enjoy while hot and serve with extra of the glaze and jam mixture.