Yield: 8 Buns

Lola Hubbell, probably from Cooks Illustrated

Melted butter is used in both the filling and the dough and to grease the pan; it’s easiest to melt the total amount (8 TBS) at once and measure it out as you need it. The finished buns are best eaten warm, but they hold reasonably well for up to 2 hours.

Cinnamon-sugar filling

• ¾cup dark brown sugar, packed 5¼ oz
• ¼cup granulated sugar (1¾ oz)
• 2tsp cinnamon
• ⅛tsp ground cloves
• ⅛tsp table salt
• 1TBS butter, melted

Biscuit dough

• 2½cups AP flour (12½ oz), plus more for work surface
• 2TBS granulated sugar
• 1¼tsp baking powder
• ½tsp baking soda
• ½tsp table salt
• 1¼cups buttermilk
• 6TBS butter, melted, divided
  

Icing

• 2TBS cream cheese, softened
• 2TBS buttermilk
• 1cup confectioners’ sugar (4 oz)

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425°F. Pour 1 TBS melted butter in 9-inch round pan. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Cinnamon-sugar filling: Combine sugars, spices, and salt in small bowl. Add 1 TBS melted butter and stir with fork or fingers until mixture resembles wet sand; set filling mixture aside.

Biscuit dough: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder. baking soda. and salt in large bowl.

Whisk buttermilk and 2 TBS melted butter in measuring cup or small bowl. Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until liquid Is absorbed (dough will look very shaggy), about 30 seconds to lightly floured work surface and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy.

Make rolls: Pat dough with hands into 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with melted butter, leaving a ½-inch border un-buttered around the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling over the buttered area of the dough and pat gently into the surface.

Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open.

With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in buttered cake pan. Brush with 2 TBS remaining melted butter.

Bake: Bake until edges are golden-brown, 23 to 25 minutes. Use offset metal spatula to loosen buns from pan; without separating, slide buns out of pan onto greased cooling rack. Cool about 5 minutes before icing.

To make icing and finish: While buns are cooling, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy cleanup); set rack with buns over baking sheet. Whisk cream cheese and buttermilk in large nonreactive bowl until thick and smooth (mixture will look like cottage cheese at-first). Sift confectioners’ sugar over; whisk until smooth glaze forms, about 30 seconds. Spoon glaze evenly over buns. Serve immediately.