Chef notes

Trust us: you knead these cinnamon buns in your life. They've got the same oversized, indulgent flavor as your food court favorites — but with half the calories of a grab-and-go bakery buns, thanks to tweaks like protein-packed Greek yogurt!

Make and roll the buns the night before, then pop them in the oven the next morning for a warm breakfast treat. Add cream cheese frosting to sweeten the deal or serve them with your favorite nut butter or jam for a new twist — er, roll — on your morning meal.

This recipe comes together in three parts — to start, you’ll make the dough for the cinnamon buns by heating milk in a saucepan on the stove. The warm milk will help the active-dry yeast to activate so that the dough can rise perfectly. Wondering how to tell if the yeast has bloomed? It’ll look foamy and be void of any tiny granular bits of yeast. From here, fold in the Greek yogurt, followed by flour and salt, and mix until the ingredients start to come together. Once the dough is formed, knead it until it’s soft and totally homogenous. As it rises, you’ll make the thing that everyone came for—that irresistible cinnamon streusel filling. It’s a simple combination of dark brown sugar and cinnamon; in a pinch, you can substitute light brown sugar, but we love the deeper, caramelized notes that its darker counterpart brings to the table.

As for the glaze, combine Greek yogurt-based cream cheese with milk and powdered sugar. Feel free to make a little extra if you’re the type of person who loves a lot of frosting (it’s okay — we do too).

Baked, unfrosted cinnamon buns can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat buns in an 300 degree F oven for 5 minutes if desired, or just bring to room temperature.

Technique Tip: To prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl while it rises, spray it with cooking spray to create a nonstick surface.

Swap Option: Substitute dairy-free milk such as almond, coconut or oat milk in place of the milk that’s used in the dough and glaze.