I've seen gorgeous morning buns (AKA cruffins or croissant muffins) in many cookbooks but have never been brave enough to try making them. Most morning bun recipes call for laminating butter, which has always seemed too finicky and time-consuming to tackle. But this fall, I was determined to try my hand at flakey, sugar-coated morning buns.

After I set this goal, I discovered that the morning bun recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Bread Illustrated, actually doesn’t require laminating butter and only takes about 3 hours. I whipped them up, and they were delicious, obviously. To make them even more delicious, I decided to add a fun fall filling.

In my first test, I created a pumpkin filling. Although these pumpkin morning buns were delicious, my partner had the genius idea to make an apple version. The pumpkin version is available over on my Patreon, but I loved the apple version so much I decided to share it in my main feed!

These morning buns are flaky, crispy, buttery and sweet. They make for the perfect weekend baking project!

Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 3 hours

Makes: 12 morning buns

Ingredients

For the dough

24 tablespoons (12 ounces) butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
5 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 egg yolk

For the apple filling

2 large apples, about 2 1/2 cups diced
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ginger and nutmeg
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the cinnamon-sugar coating

1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Methods

Cut the butter into 1/4-inch slices. Place the butter slices in a bowl in the freezer while your prep the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the dough's flours, sugar, yeast and salt. Toss the butter with the dry ingredients to coat. Pour the mixture out onto a large flat surface. Roll over the mixture with a rolling pin to flatten the butter. Toss and roll again. Repeat tossing and rolling until the butter forms long, very thin sheets. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the yogurt, water, vinegar and egg yolk into the flour and butter mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a floured surface and knead to form a smooth ball.
Then, roll the dough into a 12-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Starting with a short end, roll it into a cylinder. Flatten slightly to form a 4-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Wrap in parchment or Bees Wrap and place in the freezer while you make the apple filling, about 20 minutes.
To make the filling, first, peel and dice the apples. Add the apples, sugar and spices to a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Then, add the flour and stir. Cook for about another minute or until most of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
Remove the dough from the freezer and roll it into a 12-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Spread the slightly cooled apple mixture onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Starting from a long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Cut into 12 equal pieces and place in a greased muffin tin. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the rolls fill out the muffin wells.
Once risen, bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Then, turn the heat to 325 and bake for 40-50 more minutes. While the rolls are baking, stir together the cinnamon-sugar coating in a small bowl. Once the rolls are golden brown, remove them from the oven. As soon as you can handle the rolls, carefully roll them in cinnamon sugar until coated. Eat up!

Sustainability Tips

Butter: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are companies held to really high environmental and social standards.
Flour: I like to buy King Arthur brand flour because King Arthur Flour is a B Corp, which means that they're held to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could seek out a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.
Yogurt: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. Alternatively, you could use your favorite vegan yogurt, but please keep in mind that I have not tested this recipe with vegan options.
Egg: Local eggs are pretty easy to find in most regions. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.
Apples: Make sure these pups are in season when you make this dish (late summer to early fall is perfect in most places). This will make it easier to buy organically and as locally as possible. Buying organically and locally will ensure that your apples don't contribute to pesticide contamination or excessive greenhouse gas emissions during travel.

Apple Morning Buns