Famous NYC Cinnamon Buns for Christmas morning.

Photo courtesy of Momofuku.com

Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning are incredibly special.  If you don't have a go-to recipe, maybe this could be it ... This is pastry chef Christina Tosi's totally wonderful version of cinnamon rolls and the dough recipe has quite the following; it actually inspired the cinnamon bun pie served at Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC.

(Yields fourteen buns)

Ingredients

For the dough
2½ tsp. dry active yeast
¾ c. warm water
1½ c. warm milk
6 c. bread flour
2 tbsp. salt
1 c. sugar
2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature

For the filling
1 c. butter, at room temperature
1½ c. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. salt

For the cream cheese frosting
½ c. butter
1½ c. cream cheese
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. salt

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and milk.

2. Knead in dry ingredients. Add butter. Let rise for 45 minutes.

3. After the 45-minute rise, roll out dough into a long rectangle and spread butter over its surface. Sprinkle it with a generous amount of light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Roll up the rectangle into a long cylinder. Cut into fourteen, 2-inch pieces. Place in a greased 9-by-13-inch pan or two 10-inch pie pans and cover with plastic. Let rise 45 minutes before baking for 12-22 minutes at 375°.

5. To prepare the frosting, mix butter, cream cheese, extract, sugar, and salt thoroughly.

6. While the buns are still warm, spread the frosting generously about the buns and serve immediately.