Heavenly Italian Cream Buns Recipe: Soft, Sweet & Irresistible

Italian cream buns represent a delightful pastry that whispers sweet promises of culinary adventure.

Soft, pillowy dough reimagines into a luxurious canvas for rich, velvety filling that melts effortlessly on your tongue.

Generations of bakers have perfected this delicate technique, creating a treat that balances texture and flavor with remarkable precision.

Light and airy, these buns carry the warmth of traditional bakery craftsmanship in every delectable bite.

Creamy interiors nestled within golden-brown exteriors showcase the artistry of skilled pastry makers who understand true comfort food.

Delicate yet substantial, these buns invite you to savor a moment of pure indulgence.

Prepare to embark on a sensory journey that celebrates simplicity and elegance in baking.

Why These Cream Buns Steal the Show

• Create Cloudlike Texture: The long kneading process and gentle rising time transform simple ingredients into incredibly soft, pillowy buns that practically melt in your mouth.
• Infuse Luxurious Flavors: Orange zest, vanilla bean seeds, and honey blend beautifully, creating a delicate, sophisticated taste profile that elevates these cream buns beyond ordinary sweet breads.
• Elegant Weekend Treat: Perfect for leisurely brunches, afternoon tea, or special celebrations, these Italian cream buns bring a touch of bakery-style sophistication to your home cooking with minimal technical skill required.
• Quick Crowd-Pleaser: Despite the longer rising time, the actual hands-on preparation is straightforward, and the stunning result looks like you've spent hours in a professional kitchen, making guests feel truly special.

Ingredients for Italian Cream Buns

• Flour: Soft and fine flour, crucial for creating a tender and soft bun base.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with yeast activation and golden-brown crust.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and strengthens gluten structure.

• Yeast: Essential for bread rising and developing light, airy texture.
• Milk, Egg Yolk: Provide richness, moisture, and help create soft, tender buns.
• Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and contributes to a tender crumb.
• Orange Zest, Vanilla Bean Seeds, Honey: Provide complex, aromatic flavor profile.

• Heavy Cream, Powdered Sugar: Create light, fluffy whipped cream filling.
• Egg: Used for egg wash to create shiny, golden-brown bun surface.
• Cherry: Optional decorative and flavor element for final presentation.
• Additional Powdered Sugar: Used for dusting and aesthetic finishing touch.

Making Soft Cream Buns at Home

Step 1: Gather Ingredients

• Flour
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Warm milk
• Egg yolk
• Orange zest
• Vanilla bean seeds
• Honey
• Butter
• Salt
• Heavy cream
• Powdered sugar
• Fresh cherries

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and yeast. Create a small well in the center of the mixture.

Step 3: Add Liquid Ingredients

Pour warm milk and egg yolk into the well. Use the hook attachment to knead until liquid is fully absorbed.

Step 4: Enhance Dough Flavor

Sprinkle in orange zest, vanilla bean seeds, and honey. Continue kneading until ingredients are evenly distributed.

Step 5: Incorporate Butter

Gradually add butter, working it into the dough bit by bit. Add salt last. Knead for 8-10 minutes until dough becomes soft and stretchy.

Step 6: First Dough Rise

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, turning to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until it triples in size, around 2 hours.

Step 7: Shape Buns

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Fold and shape each into smooth balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 8: Second Rise

Cover buns with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour until puffy.

Step 9: Prepare Egg Wash

Whisk an egg with heavy cream. Gently brush mixture over risen buns.

Step 10: Bake Buns

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake buns for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.

Step 11: Create Whipped Cream Filling

Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

Step 12: Fill and Decorate

Slice buns partially. Pipe whipped cream inside. Optional: Add a fresh cherry. Dust with powdered sugar. Top with a whipped cream rosette and another cherry.

Serving Suggestion: Best enjoyed fresh on the day of baking. Store in refrigerator if not consuming immediately.

Helpful Hints for Better Buns

• Activate Yeast Perfectly: Ensure milk is warm (not hot) between 100-110°F to activate yeast without killing it, creating a soft, fluffy texture.
• Develop Gluten Strength: Knead dough thoroughly for 8-10 minutes to build elasticity, resulting in light and airy buns with a tender crumb.
• Control Dough Rising: Place dough in a warm, draft-free area like a turned-off oven with a pan of hot water to maintain consistent temperature and optimal rise.
• Prevent Dough Sticking: Use a light touch when shaping buns, and lightly flour surfaces to keep dough smooth and prevent tearing.
• Achieve Golden Crust: Brush egg wash evenly and generously to create a beautiful, glossy brown surface that looks professionally baked.

Reheat Cream Buns Without Losing Texture

• Storing and Reheating Italian Cream Buns
• Refrigeration: Store filled cream buns in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking and preserve their delicate texture.
• Freezing: Wrap unfilled buns individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for maximum 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes before filling.
• Reheating: Warm gently in a preheated 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes. Avoid microwave reheating, which can make the buns soggy and compromise their soft, delicate texture. Add fresh whipped cream after warming to maintain optimal flavor and consistency.

Pairings for Your Cream Buns

• Savor Sweet Wine Companions: Pair these luscious Italian cream buns with a chilled Moscato d'Asti or a delicate Vin Santo, which complement the light, creamy texture and provide a perfectly balanced sweetness.
• Match Espresso Elegance: Serve alongside a rich, smooth espresso or cappuccino to enhance the buns' delicate vanilla and orange zest undertones, creating a classic Italian dessert experience.
• Elevate with Dessert Liqueur: Drizzle a small glass of Limoncello or Amaretto next to the buns, offering a zesty or almond-infused counterpoint that highlights the cream's richness and adds a sophisticated touch.
• Create Fruit Harmony: Add fresh seasonal berries or a small fruit compote on the side, which cuts through the cream's richness and provides a refreshing contrast to the sweet, soft bun.

Ways to Enjoy Cream Buns Differently

• Chocolate Cream Fusion: Replace whipped cream with rich chocolate ganache. Mix melted dark chocolate with heavy cream for a decadent filling that adds intense cocoa flavor to the classic Italian cream bun.
• Nutty Almond Spin: Incorporate ground almonds into the dough for subtle nuttiness. Fill with almond-infused cream and garnish with toasted almond slivers, creating a Mediterranean-inspired variation.
• Seasonal Berry Blast: Swap cherry topping with fresh seasonal berries like raspberries or strawberries. Fold berry compote into the whipped cream filling for a fruity, vibrant twist that brightens the traditional recipe.
• Lavender Honey Elegance: Infuse the dough with dried lavender and replace regular honey with lavender honey. Add a hint of lavender extract to the whipped cream, creating an aromatic and sophisticated version of the classic cream bun.

Italian Cream Buns Recipe

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4.7 from 38 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Silky Italian cream buns deliver pure pastry perfection from Naples bakeries. Sweet ricotta and delicate pastry create a heavenly experience you cannot resist sampling.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 cups (280 grams) Manitoba flour
• ⅔ cups (150 ml) warm milk
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¼ cup (57 grams) butter

Flavoring Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (55 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) quick rise instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon (20 grams) honey
• Orange zest from 1 medium orange
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) salt

Egg Wash and Cream Topping:

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
• 2 cups (473 ml) heavy whipping cream (35%)
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar (icing sugar)
• Amarena cherries (optional)
• Powdered sugar for dusting

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Instructions

1. In a stand mixer bowl, blend flour, sugar, and yeast thoroughly, creating a central cavity.
2. Pour warm milk (110°F / 43°C) and egg yolk into the well, using the dough hook to incorporate ingredients until a cohesive mixture forms.
3. Infuse the developing dough with fragrant orange zest, delicate vanilla bean seeds, and golden honey, mixing until evenly distributed.
4. Incrementally introduce softened butter, working it into the dough, then add salt, kneading continuously for 8-10 minutes to develop a silky, elastic texture.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl, ensuring complete surface coverage, then shield with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment until volume triples, approximately 2 hours.
6. Gently divide the expanded dough into 12 uniform portions, carefully folding and shaping each into a smooth, rounded ball.
7. Arrange dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, loosely cover with sprayed plastic wrap, and permit a secondary rise for 60 minutes.
8. Prepare a luxurious egg wash by whisking one large egg with heavy cream (35% milkfat), then delicately brush over each risen dough ball.
9. Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C), bake the buns for 20 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
10. Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff, voluminous peaks emerge.
11. Carefully slice each cooled bun, pipe the whipped cream filling generously, optionally garnish with a maraschino cherry.
12. Finish by dusting with powdered sugar and crown with an elegant whipped cream rosette and an additional cherry.

Notes

• Master your dough by ensuring warm milk isn’t too hot, which could kill the yeast and prevent proper rising.
• Create a cozy, draft-free environment for dough rising to help it develop rich, soft texture and maximum flavor.
• Knead butter gradually into the dough to guarantee a silky, elastic consistency that produces tender, light buns.
• Use fresh ingredients like real vanilla bean seeds and orange zest to elevate the delicate flavor profile of these Italian cream buns.
• Allow sufficient proofing time for the dough to triple in size, ensuring airy, delectable texture that melts in your mouth.
• Brush egg wash generously before baking to achieve a gorgeous golden-brown, glossy exterior that looks professionally crafted.

• Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 302 kcal
• Sugar: 12 g
• Sodium: 95 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 13 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg