Auntie Anne’s Christmas Buns

A Vegan Christmas Recipe: Holiday Buns!

Recipes are inherited from generation to generation as surely as are genetics. That’s to say – this one did not start as a vegan Christmas recipe, nor is it by my own design that these are so delicious, really. People long before I existed knew how to bake a delicious sweet roll, thanks to people long before them who knew how to do it, too.

In many ways, you could say that we’re all connected to each other through food and the preparation thereof. Nearly every culture of people has some tradition around food, which is why older recipes in particular offer an insight into more than just a past full of names and numbers, but also into the character of the people who lived in that time. One didn’t make Christmas buns because they’re practical or necessary for health or for sustenance. These were made with the specific intent of sharing something delicious with the people you love – family, friends, neighbors, and fellow human beings.

Admittedly, the past has of course been plentiful in misery and hardship and horrors, but it has also always been filled with beautiful people doing beautiful things for each other. Older recipes that are delicious and homey and comforting remind me of just that – the genuine, kind and compassionate core of human nature that doesn’t make it into the history books.

To be specific, this recipe began with my second-mom’s grandmother, Haley. And after her, Auntie Anne now makes these annually and in great quantities because they’re a must-have-on-Christmas staple and so too in high-demand.

For me, these buns conjure nostalgic images of bright Christmas mornings at the table. Amidst a plethora of other culinary treasures, there they’d be, the bejeweled buns – freshly warmed, enveloping the room with an intoxicatingly pleasant aroma that can only be described as the olfactory representation of the Christmas spirit: sweet, bready-yeastiness, with a hint of almond and cherry.

Simply put, I wanted to make these vegan not to change tradition, but to honor the memory of the people who made these and offer a variant that is accessible to more people overall. And what better homage and compliment than to reimagine something I personally love in order to share it with others. Really, all I had to do is swap dairy butter with vegan butter, as well as cow’s milk with plant-based milk – it was easy!

I hope that you’ll give this vegan Christmas recipe a try. They’re really fun to make, they look pretty on a table, and even more fun to give away.

Have a Merry Christmas, and wonderful holiday.

Auntie Anne’s Christmas Buns

5 from 4 votes

That Vegan Nephew

This is a family recipe for delicious, amazing Christmas buns – almondy, light and fluffy, just sweet enough, and with a candied cherry right on top. They are perfect for the holidays.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Proofing Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Breakfast & Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 24 Buns

Calories 301 kcal

Equipment

• Oven
• Several 8×8 baking dishes
• Light dish towel

Ingredients

  

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For the buns:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups soy milk
• ▢ ⅓ cup sugar
• ▢ ½ tablespoon salt
• ▢ ½ tablespoon almond extract
• ▢ 1 cup refined coconut oil or vegan butter
• ▢ 1 ½ packets of dry active yeast
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup warm water
• ▢ 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• ▢ 9 tablespoons warm water
• ▢ 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ Some brown sugar, for sprinkling (¼ to ½ cup)
• ▢ ¼ to ½ cup additional coconut oil or vegan butter, melted for brushing

For the almond butter cream:

• ▢ ¼ cup (half-stick) of vegan butter, room temp (60 mL)
• ▢ ¾ to 1 cup confectioner’s powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure almond extract

For the garnish:

• ▢ Some maraschino cherries, halved
• ▢ Some shaved almonds

Instructions

 

• Begin by combining the soy milk, sugar, salt, almond extract and coconut oil (or vegan butter) in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, whisking occasionally until the milk is heated through and all the oil is melted. Do not let this boil.
• In the meanwhile, mix together the ¼ cup warm water (not hot or boiling water), the teaspoon of sugar, and the yeast. Let the yeast bloom for about 5 minutes, or until bubbles begin to emerge throughout. Parallel, combine the flaxseed and 9 tablespoons warm water in a separate bowl, and set aside to congeal, also about 5 minutes.
• Combine the flaxseed, yeast, and milk in a large mixing bowl, and then add the flour in about 1/2 to 3/4 cup increments, folding the flour into the liquid. The dough will be very sticky, but don’t be afraid to mix it together with your hands near the end of adding flour. Mix just until no large clumps of flour remain. No need to knead the dough, just incorporate everything together.
• Cover the mixing bowl with a clean dishtowel, and place the bowl in someplace warm for about 20 minutes to proof. In that time, make the almond butter cream by vigorously whisking together room temperature vegan butter, confectioner’s sugar, and almond extract. Set aside and save for the end.
• Microwave some coconut oil (or vegan butter) in a small bowl, and then use some to grease a couple 8×8-inch baking dishes. After that, plop the proofed dough onto a floured surface and pat into a 6-inch (~15cm) thick oblong shape. Brush both sides with a little bit of coconut oil (or vegan butter, of course).
• Next, cut about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch (1.5 – 2.0cm) strips of dough length-wise, so that you have little dough snakes. Cut those in half, sprinkle with brown sugar, and then roll one end of the tail into a swirled shape. Place them neatly in the baking dish. This should fill up several 8×8’s, so much so that you may need to work in separate batches. Just cover the dough with a cloth during the time you’re not using it if that’s the case. Also, you have the option of making big rolls instead of small ones by not cutting the strip of dough in half. Brush the rolls once more with the last bit of coconut oil (or vegan butter), cover with a clean dish towel once more, and then allow them to proof for another 30 – 45 minutes in the 8×8's, until they’ve expanded in size and filled in the gaps between each roll.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (~175°C). Place a couple of the baking dishes of buns in the oven, and bake for 28 – 32 minutes, checking frequently. Bake until golden brown on top, firm to the touch, and hollow sounding when tapped.
• Let the buns cool for 10 to 15 minutes, and then frost them with the almond butter cream. Garnish with shaved almonds and a halved maraschino cherry right in the center.
• Eat immediately! You can also wrap these tightly in a reusable baggies and freeze these for a couple weeks – gently reheating them in the oven on low heat the day of.

Nutrition

Serving 1 bun Calories 301 kcal Carbohydrates 33 g Protein 3.5 g Fat 17.2 g Saturated Fat 11.9 g Sodium 27 mg Potassium 65 mg Fiber 1.4 g Sugar 17.1 g Calcium 35.2 mg Iron 1.4 mg

Keyword festive holiday recipes, vegan baked goodies, vegan buns, vegan christmas buns

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Well, I hope you enjoyed this vegan Christmas recipe! If you did, comment and rate it down below – I’d love to hear your thoughts. Also, check out these Hot Chocolate Scones or this vegan cranberry walnut bread, if you’re on a holiday-themed recipe binge!

May you have good food in good company,

That Vegan Nephew