Stack of Scottish Sweet Buns

Jul 19, 2012

Merida's wee triplet brothers, Harris, Hubert, and Hamish are ever willing to step up to the plate for their feisty older sister -- especially if it happens to be topped with a sweet reward. Made with biscuit dough and frosted with maple-flavored glaze, these Scottish buns are a quick and scrumptious treat for kids to help bake.

You'll need:

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/8 cup walnuts, crushed or finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter

For the buns:

• 2 1/4 cup flour, plus a little extra for rolling out the dough
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup milk

For the frosting and topping:

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple sugar
• 1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped (optional)

Kitchen supplies:

• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Wooden spoon
• Rolling pin
• Kitchen knife
• Baking sheet topped with parchment paper
• Spatula
• Cooling rack

1. Make the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts (if you're using them) in a small mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the sugar mixture so that it resembles a coarse meal. Set the mixture aside for now.

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile, prepare the dough for the buns. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are pea-sized. Pour in the milk and stir just until the dough pulls together. Turn the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and roll it out to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Tip: To keep the buns tender, handle the dough as briefly as possible.

3. Sprinkle the filling atop the dough. Starting at one of the long edges, roll the dough into a log. Gently squeeze and shape the log to stick the loose dough edge down and to seal the ends. Slice the log into inch-thick pieces and place them, spaced apart, on the baking sheet. Bake the buns just until the tops begin to turn golden brown, about 8 minutes.

4. While the buns bake, prepare the glaze by creaming together the cream cheese and butter in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the powdered sugar and maple syrup, stirring until smooth.

5. Transfer the baked buns to a cooling rack. Allow the buns to cool slightly and then frost them. Sprinkle the tops with the chopped cranberries, and enjoy.