Orange Cinnamon Pistachio Morning Buns (+ Laminated Dough)

Perfection. There’s really no other way to describe these amazing, delicate, flaky, comforting orange cinnamon morning buns.

You can have your chocolate ganache “this” or your red velvet “that”. But for me, my particular poison is and has always been flaky, slightly-sweet pastries (and ANYTHING with cinnamon-sugar).

I’d been wanting to try my hand at laminating dough for a couple years, and just always found an excuse not to tackle a reicpe. It felt kind of daunting, fussy, time-consuming. But finally over winter break, I decided to take the leap.

And to my surprise, I found that laminating dough (and this recipe in particular) is not difficult. It just takes time and patience…it’s a “project”. Not something I whip up when I’m distracted and rushed, but rather when I have time to enjoy the process.

These homemade morning buns are the kind of recipe where you want to use the highest-quality ingredients you can get your hands on—especially the butter that gets laminated into the dough. It’s where a lot of the flavor is going to come from, as well as the flakiness (so higher-fat butter = less water = more flaky).

Even if this feels a bit scary, I recommend giving it a try! I’ve tried to provide lots of step-by-step photos here, and also super detailed instructions.

You might also like: The Tools & Gadgets Every Kitchen Should Have

There were a few things I learned along the way that will help you succeed with these orange cinnamon morning buns.

I had always heard “keep everything as cold as possible” for laminating dough, but in this recipe you want cool and chilled, but not freezing cold.
I really had trouble getting the initial dough to come together in my stand mixer, but I persevered. I had to manually mess with it a bunch (and strategically add a tablespoon or two of flour), but it always comes together. I suspect that if you have a smaller mixer, you won’t have the same issues (mine is huge and it’s a small amount of dough).
I also learned that you really want to roll the dough as thin as you can at the end, when you’re ready to shape and bake. A little extra chilling at this step can help.
In fact, I found that if I left the dough in the fridge overnight, it was SO much easier to work with and get thin enough (and it gets a bit more flavor).
A few tools I found helpful, beside my stand mixer, were my handy multi-purpose scraper tool, my thin bamboo rolling pin, my half-sheet pans, my mini offset spatula and a silicone half-sheet pan mat, in addition to muffin tins. They’re not requirements, but helpful.

I played around with a couple different baking vehicles, including a regular size muffin tin and a silicone larger muffin pan.

Both worked great, I’d just say that if you use a regular size one then I’d cut the dough into slightly less fat rounds (or they’ll explode above the tin).

What’s great about this morning bun recipe and the fact that I had better success with it after the dough sat in the fridge overnight, is that you can make it the day before, and then all you have to do in the morning is roll it out, fill it, give it a 45-minute rise, and bake.

Yes, that means you can then have fresh, hot, flaky orange cinnamon morning buns coming out of the oven in a little over an hour after getting up! YOU’RE WELCOME.

First, we make the croissant dough…in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 426g of flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt (add the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl).

With the dough hook attachment, give it a quick mix on the lowest setting to distribute all of the ingredients evenly.

Side note, I’d make sure you’ve set out your butter for the butter block at this point as well.

Add the water and mix until a shaggy dough is formed, about 3 to 4 minutes (you’ll have to scrape down the sides to help it combine).

Then add the softened butter (a piece at a time) and mix on low speed for 10 minutes, until the butter is fully incorporated, full gluten development is achieved, and the dough is smooth. Now I’ll be honest, this part of the process can be DIFFICULT, but just be patient!

I had to fight the dough to get the butter incorporated and come together…at first, it just stuck in a clump at the bottom of the mixer and the dough hook had trouble grabbing it. This may be because I have a pretty large mixer, so the dough hook doesn’t quite reach to the bottom.

I used the rubber spatula to keep getting it off the bottom of the bowl, breaking it up, and getting the dough hook to grab it (and I added between 1 and 3 more tablespoons of flour during that process, since the butter is so slick, to help the dough hook “grab” it).

Once you have a nice glossy smooth dough, remove the dough from the mixer and place on a Silpat-lined half-sheet pan (or parchment paper if you don’t have Silpat). Spread the dough into a rough rectangle the size of the pan, trying to make it even and flat.

Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to ferment for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Using your palms, flatten the dough to release any large gas bubbles, but do not push all the air out of the dough.

Make sure the dough is in all the corners of the half sheet pan and is even. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 45 minutes.

While it’s chilling, get ready to laminate your dough. For the butter block, the ideal temperature for the butter is around 70 degrees F. Place the butter between pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to either roll it or pound it down (depending on temp and malleability).

Shape the butter into a rectangle the size of half a half-sheet pan (so half the size of the dough that’s chilling), making sure the edges are sharp and the butter is even and flat.

Side note, I used my beloved Great Jones half-sheet pans for this, because that green color (and the indigo one I also have) just makes me happy.

Set the butter aside until the dough is ready…don’t let it get too soft & squishy, if it starts to then put it in the fridge for a few minutes.

Now it’s time to laminate and roll the dough! Remove the dough from the freezer. Remove the plastic wrap and place the dough horizontally on a lightly floured work surface.

Let the dough soften for 5 to 10 minutes until it is no longer rock hard, but not soft.

Place the butter block on the right hand side of the dough, leaving about 1 inch of dough around the edges of the butter block.

Fold the left hand side over, like closing a book, and pinch the seams together.

With the “spine” of the dough (think the spine of a book) on your left, roll the dough out vertically to around 15 inches (for reference, it is starting around 12-13 inches long). Do this gently, making individual presses into the dough up and down before actually rolling…otherwise you’ll just push the butter right out (see photos).

Note: Make sure to keep the rectangular shape throughout the entire process, it will matter! If the dough feels too soft at any point, place it in the fridge for 5 minutes. Do not leave it in the fridge for too long or the butter will become hard and will shatter when you roll it out.

Next, turn the dough so the spine is now facing your stomach and roll it out to about 18 inches.

For the FIRST TURN, fold the bottom third of the dough up as if you were folding a letter. Fold the top third down to cover the bottom third.

Turn the block 90 degrees counter-clockwise so the dough resembles a book, with the opening on the right and the spine on the left. You will continue this pattern with each roll, and keeping the opening on the right will help you remember how to position the dough. You have completed your first turn: gently press a finger into the corner to mark it.

Let the dough relax for at least 15 minutes, either at room temperature or partially in the fridge, depending on the temperature of the dough. Be mindful of the butter temperature.

For the SECOND TURN, roll the dough out in the same way as you did before, fold it like a letter, mark it, and let it rest 15 minutes.

Repeat for the THIRD and FOURTH turn, with 15 minute rests between.

Finally, roll out the dough to about 12-by-16 inches (or a bit bigger). Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half, creating two squares. Look at that lamination in the second pic below!!

You have two options here. You can make them right away, OR you can put the dough in the fridge overnight and make them the next day. I prefer the latter, as I’ve found the dough is easier to work with and holds its shape better. I’ve also done both…make a half batch right away, and the rest the next day.

If baking right away, place one square on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and place in the fridge while you work with the other. Whatever you don’t plan on using that day, wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge.

You can make the filling whenever. I like to do it either while the dough is doing its final rest/chill, or if I’m not baking them til the next day, I like to do it while the dough is thawing a bit.

If you’re planning to use the pistachios, preheat the oven to 325 F. Spread the pistachios on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Let them cool, then place in a food processor and pulse until they’re in very small pieces.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, then add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Remove from the mixer and keep at room temperature until ready to use.

Finally, it’s time to shape and bake your buns! If you let the dough chill overnight, you’ll want to bring the dough out of the fridge about 15-30 minutes ahead of when you’re rolling it, to let it thaw a bit.

When you are ready to make them, spray muffin tins with nonstick spray and set aside (pastry rings also work).

Roll out the first square to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (as thin as you can get it without tearing the dough). The exact specs of the rectange aren’t critical, but as you can see from the pic below that is roughly maybe 15 by 20 inches for me? Keep it as rectangle-like as possible.

With the long size facing you, gently spread half of the filling on the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border without filling on the bottom edge. If using the pistachios, sprinkle the pistachio pieces over this. Brush this bare part with water.

Starting from the long size furthest from you, roll the dough tightly towards you, making sure it is even and there are no air pockets.

Note, in that first pic below, the dough is WAY too thick, your should be much thinner. There should be more rolls in the spiral, and the roll should be thinner so the pieces sit in a muffin tin easily…like the second pic below.

The strip of bare dough with water on it will seal the log and ensure it doesn’t unroll. I usually also pinch the seam and then roll it on the counter to make sure it’s sealed.

Using a large sharp knife or scraper tool, cut the log into about 1.5-inch pieces and place them into the muffin tin (filling side up).

Repeat with the remaining square of dough, then loosely cover the muffin tins with plastic wrap.

Place in a warm, (ideally) humid environment to proof for about an hour, til they’ve doubled in size. You’re looking for about 75 degrees with a bit of humidity…not too hot or it will melt the butter out of your dough.

Towards the end of the prove, preheat the oven to 350 F. This is what mine look like after they’ve proved (proofed??) again.

When the dough is ready, place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until they are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and place the muffin tin on a cooling rack.

Make the cinnamon sugar whenever, by simply stirring together the sugar and cinnamon in a large wide bowl.

Once the buns are a still really warm but no longer piping-hot, remove them from the muffin tins and toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Put back on the cooling rack to set.

These orange morning buns are best eaten the same day—trust me! I like to bake half of the dough at a time to be able to have them fresh two days in a row.

These pics give you an idea of the final inside texture. You have that amazing flakiness on the outside that shatters when bitten into, then the inside is super soft and stretchy.

If you’re looking for a fun project with an AMAZING outcome, these orange cinnamon pistachio morning buns absolutely deliver!

Other crave-worthy (& slightly more complex) bakes you’ll love:

The Lazy Person’s Kouign Amann
Simple & Amazing Chocolate Brioche Babka
Russian Burnt Honey Cake
“Elvis” Banana, Salted Honey, & Peanut Butter Cream Puffs
Traditional Finnish Cinnamon Buns (Korvapuusti)
Love this flavor combo? Try this orange cinnamon-sugar twist bread

Adapted from Hint of Vanilla

Pin for later!

Orange Cinnamon Pistachio Morning Buns

Yield: 12-13 thicker buns (15-18 if you cut them thinner)

Ingredients

CROISSANT DOUGH
426g of all-purpose flour (plus a little extra for rolling
Sometimes: ~2 tablespoons of flour to help the initial dough come together
10g of salt
51g of granulated sugar
8g of instant dried yeast
204g of water at room temperature
85g of unsalted butter, at room temperature
Butter block
212g of unsalted butter, not fridge hard but not quite room temp
FILLING
150g of unsalted butter, at room temperature
50g of brown sugar
1 of teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract
Zest of 2 oranges
Optional: 70g of pistachios
CINNAMON-SUGAR, FOR ROLLING
200g of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

Instructions

Make the croissant dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 426g of flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt (add the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl).
With the dough hook attachment, give it a quick mix on the lowest setting to distribute all of the ingredients evenly.
Add the water and mix until a shaggy dough is formed, about 3 to 4 minutes (you'll have to scrape down the sides to help it combine).
Then add the softened butter (a piece at a time) and mix on low speed for 10 minutes, until the butter is fully incorporated, full gluten development is achieved, and the dough is smooth. Now I'll be honest, this part of the process can be DIFFICULT, but just be patient!
I had to fight the dough to get the butter incorporated and come together...at first, it just stuck in a clump at the bottom of the mixer and the dough hook had trouble grabbing it. I used the rubber spatula to keep getting it off the bottom of the bowl, breaking it up, and getting the dough hook to grab it (and I added between 1 and 3 more tablespoons of flour during that process, since the butter is so slick, to help the dough hook "grab" it). Look at my photos in the post to see the process.
Once you have a nice glossy smooth dough, remove the dough from the mixer and place on a Silpat-lined half-sheet pan (or parchment paper if you don't have Silpat). Spread the dough into a rough rectangle the size of the pan, trying to make it even and flat.
Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to ferment for 45 minutes.
Make the filling: Note, you can make your filling whenever...sometimes I do it here, and sometimes I do it once the dough is doing its final chill. Dealer's choice.
If you're planning to use the pistachios, preheat the oven to 325 F. Spread the pistachios on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Let them cool, then place in a food processor and pulse until they're in very small pieces.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, then add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Remove from the mixer and keep at room temperature until ready to use.
Prepare to laminate your dough: Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Using your palms, flatten the dough to release any large gas bubbles, but do not push all the air out of the dough. Make sure the dough is in all the corners of the half sheet pan and is even. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 45 minutes.
For the butter block, the ideal temperature for the butter is around 70 degrees F. Place the butter between pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to either roll it or pound it down (depending on temp and malleability). Shape the butter into a rectangle the size of half a half-sheet pan (so half the size of the dough that's chilling), making sure the edges are sharp and the butter is even and flat.
Set the butter aside until the dough is ready...don't let it get too soft & squishy, if it starts to then put it in the fridge for a few minutes.
Laminate and roll the dough: Remove the dough from the freezer. Remove the plastic wrap and place the dough horizontally on a lightly floured work surface. Let the dough soften for 5 to 10 minutes until it is no longer rock hard, but not soft.
Place the butter block on the right hand side of the dough, leaving about 1 inch of dough around the edges of the butter block. Fold the left hand side over, like closing a book, and pinch the seams together.
With the "spine" of the dough (think the spine of a book) on your left, roll the dough out vertically to around 15 inches (for reference, it is starting around 12-13 inches long). Do this gently, making individual presses into the dough up and down before actually rolling...otherwise you'll just push the butter right out (see photos).
Note: Make sure to keep the rectangular shape throughout the entire process, it will matter! If the dough feels too soft at any point, place it in the fridge for 5 minutes. Do not leave it in the fridge for too long or the butter will become hard and will shatter when you roll it out.
Turn the dough so the spine is now facing your stomach and roll it out to about 18 inches.
For the FIRST TURN, fold the bottom third of the dough up as if you were folding a letter. Fold the top third down to cover the bottom third.
Turn the block 90 degrees counter-clockwise so the dough resembles a book, with the opening on the right and the spine on the left. You will continue this pattern with each roll, and keeping the opening on the right will help you remember how to position the dough. You have completed your first turn: gently press a finger into the corner to mark it.
Let the dough relax for at least 15 minutes, either at room temperature or partially in the fridge, depending on the temperature of the dough. Be mindful of the butter temperature.
For the SECOND TURN, roll the dough out in the same way as you did before, fold it like a letter, mark it, and let it rest 15 minutes.
Repeat for the THIRD and FOURTH turn, with 15 minute rests between.
Finally, roll out the dough to about 12-by-16 inches (or a bit bigger). Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half, creating two squares.
You have two options here. You can make them right away, OR you can put the dough in the fridge overnight and make them the next day. I prefer the latter, as I've found the dough is easier to work with and holds its shape better. I've also done both...make a half batch right away, and the rest the next day.
If baking right away, place one square on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and place in the fridge while you work with the other. Whatever you don't plan on using that day, wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge.
Shape and bake your buns: If you let the dough chill overnight, you'll want to bring the dough out of the fridge about 15-30 minutes ahead of when you're rolling it, to let it thaw a bit.
When you are ready to make them, spray muffin tins with nonstick spray and set aside (pastry rings also work).
Roll out the first square to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (as thin as you can get it without tearing the dough). The exact specs of the rectange aren't critical, but as you can see from the pic below that is roughly maybe 15 by 20 inches for me? Keep it as rectangle-like as possible.
With the long size facing you, gently spread half of the filling on the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border without filling on the bottom edge. If using the pistachios, sprinkle the pistachio pieces over this. Brush this bare part with water.
Starting from the long size farthest from you, roll the dough tightly towards you, making sure it is even and there are no air pockets. The strip of bare dough with water on it will seal the log and ensure it doesn't unroll. I usually also pinch the seam and then roll it on the counter to make sure it's sealed.
Using a large sharp knife or scraper tool, cut the log into about 1.5-inch pieces and place them into the muffin tin (filling side up).
Repeat with the remaining square of dough, then loosely cover the muffin tins with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, (ideally) humid environment to proof for about an hour, til they've doubled in size. You're looking for about 75 degrees with a bit of humidity...not too hot or it will melt the butter out of your dough.
Towards the end of the prove, preheat the oven to 350 F. When the dough is ready, place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until they are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and place the muffin tin on a cooling rack.
Make the cinnamon sugar whenever, by sipmly stirring together the sugar and cinnamon in a large wide bowl. Once the buns are a still really warm but no longer piping-hot, remove them from the muffin tins and toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Put back on the cooling rack to set.
The morning buns are best eaten the same day. Trust me!

Notes

I had always heard “keep everything as cold as possible” for laminating dough, but in this recipe you want cool and chilled, but not freezing cold.
I really had trouble getting the initial dough to come together in my stand mixer, but I persevered. I had to manually mess with it a bunch (and strategically add a tablespoon or two of flour), but it always comes together. I suspect that if you have a smaller mixer, you won’t have the same issues (mine is huge and it’s a small amount of dough).
I also learned that you really want to roll the dough as thin as you can at the end, when you’re ready to shape and bake. A little extra chilling at this step can help.
In fact, I found that if I left the dough in the fridge overnight, it was SO much easier to work with and get thin enough (and it gets a bit more flavor).