These Sweet Buns are super soft, moist, and great for fall. The grated apples make them moist and delicious, and the glaze on top is the perfect finishing touch.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
There's nothing like the aroma of freshly baked bread, especially when it's sweet, soft, and filled with delicious apples. You'll love these apple swirl buns for many reasons:
- Make Ahead and Freeze: These buns can be made ahead of time and frozen, making them a convenient grab-and-go breakfast or snack. They're perfect for busy mornings or for satisfying those mid-day cravings.
- Family and Friends: This recipe makes a large batch of buns, so it's perfect for sharing with family and friends. We love recipes that bring people together!
- Versatile: The dough for these buns is incredibly versatile. Once you've mastered this recipe, you can experiment with different fillings like my Sweet Buns with Fresh Cherry Filling.
- Perfect for Brunch: The sweet, soft, and flavorful buns are ideal for special occasions, brunches, and gatherings. They're sure to impress your guests!
- Fresh Ingredients: This recipe uses fresh, simple ingredients, resulting in buns that are incredibly soft and delicious. You'll love the flavor of the homemade bread combined with the sweet apple filling.
Key Ingredients
- Dry Yeast - It is the ingredient that makes the buns rise and gives them their airy texture.
- Boiled Milk - Boiled milk adds lightness and tenderness to the dough. The boiled milk should be cooled before using it in the recipe.
- Unsalted Butter - Unsalted butter adds a rich, buttery flavor to the dough.
- Jonagold Apples - Jonagold apples are the star of the filling, adding a sweet, fruity flavor and a soft texture to the buns.
- Cane Sugar - It adds a sweet crunch to the top of the buns.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are some of our favorite variation ideas for this sweet buns recipe:
- Different Fruits: While we love the flavor of the apple cinnamon filling, feel free to experiment with other fruits. Pears or berries would work wonderfully.
- Add Nuts: If you like a bit of crunch in your sweet buns, consider adding chopped nuts to the apple filling. Pecans or walnuts would work beautifully with the flavors here.
How to Make Sweet Buns
Step 1
Proof the yeast by dissolving it in warm water and sugar. Set aside to activate.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, combine melted butter and mayonnaise. In another bowl, boil the milk and let it cool. Then, add the activated yeast to the milk.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Add salt, vanilla, milk-yeast mixture, and butter-mayonnaise mixture. Gradually add flour and knead the dough. Let it rise for 2 hours.
Step 4
Roll out a portion of the dough to a 5x13-inch rectangle. Sprinkle grated apples along one edge and roll it into a log. Shape the log into a bun and let it proof for 20 minutes.
Step 5
Brush the proof buns with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Enjoy!
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
Sweet buns are a versatile treat that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Here are a few serving suggestions to make the most of your homemade sweet buns:
- Breakfast: Enjoy a warm sweet bun with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk for a delicious breakfast treat. You can also pair them with some fresh fruit for a balanced meal.
- Snack: Sweet buns make a great snack on their own, but they can also be served with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra special treat.
- Brunch: If you're hosting a brunch, consider serving sweet buns alongside some savory dishes like eggs, bacon, or breakfast potatoes. They also pair well with a brunch salad.
- Party: Sweet buns are a hit at parties and gatherings. You can serve them as a dessert or a sweet appetizer. They're sure to disappear quickly!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use any type of apples for this recipe. However, we recommend using a sweet and juicy variety such as Jonagold, Gala, or Honeycrisp for the best flavor and texture.
Proofing the yeast allows you to make sure that it is active and will help the dough rise. If the yeast does not bubble and becomes foamy after being mixed with water and sugar, it may be old or expired and will not work in the recipe.
The buns are fully baked when they turn golden brown. This usually takes about 40 minutes in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of a bun - if it comes out clean, the buns are ready.
How to Store Leftovers
- Storing: After enjoying your sweet buns, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: If you want to keep them for longer, these buns freeze well. Once they've cooled completely, place them in a resealable plastic bag and pop them in the freezer. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: When you're ready to enjoy your frozen sweet buns, simply let them thaw at room temperature.
- Reheating: If you prefer your sweet buns warm, you can reheat them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Be careful not to overheat, as this can cause the buns to become tough.
More Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Sweet Buns with Creamy Filling - These delicious Sweet Buns feature sweet, light, fluffy buns that are filled with a creamy filling made of farmer's cheese, cream cheese, and the sweetness of raisins.
- Piroshki - These cherry-filled Piroshki are a sweet, authentic Ukrainian recipe. The dough is super soft and sweet and the fresh cherry filling is a perfect match.
- Sweet Bread - Here’s a delicious Sweet Bread recipe that’s perfect for Christmas and even Easter! This is a classic holiday bread with a subtle, sweet flavor.
- Ukrainian Paska Easter Bread - Paska is a traditional Easter bread, and my recipe will give you adorable cupcake-sized versions of them that are perfect for kids!
Recipe
Recipe Card
Sweet Buns (Apple Swirl)
Ingredients
For the Batter:
- 3 tbsp. warm water
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. dry yeast
- 1.5 cups boiled milk cooled
- 4 oz. unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 5 eggs large
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
For the Filling:
- 5 apples Jonagold variety, large
For Brushing and Sprinkling:
- 2 eggs large
- 2 tbsp. water
- 2 tbsp. aw organic cane sugar
Instructions
How to Prepare the Dough
- First, I prepare everything for the dough. Start by proofing the yeast. Sprinkle sugar into a glass of warm water. Stir just until nearly dissolved, and add yeast. Stir until all is dissolved well combined. Set aside to proof (it takes about 30 minutes before it’s ready for you).
- Place butter into a small saucepan and melt it over a hot burner. Set aside to cool until just barely warm.
- After the butter has cooled to warm add mayonnaise and stir to combine well. Set aside until ready for use.
- Pour milk into a separate small saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Set aside to cool just until barely warm. After the milk cools, add proofed yeast mixture to the milk. Stir it well and set aside until ready for use.
- Beat eggs and sugar for 5 minutes on high. Reduce the speed to low and add salt, vanilla, milk, yeast/milk mixture, and melted butter/mayonnaise mixture.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment and gradually add sifted flour; one cup at a time. Then continue adding ½ cup of flour thereafter, scraping down the sides of the bowl with each flour addition. The dough should be soft and not sticky to a rubber spatula.
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic food wrap. Puncture about 5 small holes in the plastic wrap with a knife for the dough to breath (while preventing hardening on the top), then place a clean kitchen towel over the plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place for the dough to rise for about 2 hours.
- After the dough rises, transfer it onto a floured work surface.
- Rinse, peel and grate 2 apples using a carrot grater. (Grate 2 apples at one time to prevent from darkening.)
How to Assemble
- Split the dough into 3 chunks. Cover 2 of them with plastic food wrap. Divide the first chunk into 3 oz. balls. (Cover the rest of the dough pieces with plastic wrap to prevent from drying.) Using a rolling pin roll out about a 5 X 13-inch rectangular shape.
- Place ¾ cup of grated apples on one edge of length. Roll it into a log and pinch ends carefully.
- Hold one end of the log up and swirl it into a circle to create the bun. Fold the other end under the bun. Then tuck in the top edges to make the cute looking rose bun. It will be about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter before proofing.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Place buns onto a lined parchment paper 16 X 22 baking sheet. Cover the pan with a dry and clean kitchen towel and allow them to proof for 20 minutes. While the buns are rising make the egg wash. Combine egg with water and beat it with a fork. (TIP: I make a separate egg wash for each pan because the egg wash gets old by the time you're done assembling all the buns.)
- Brush proofed buns with egg wash and sprinkle with raw organic cake sugar.
How to Bake
- Bake the buns for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool to warm before removing buns from the parchment paper.
- While the buns are baking repeat the same steps with the rest of the dough, apple shredding and egg wash.
- Enjoy them warm with a cup of coffee, tea or cold milk.
Notes
- Proof the yeast in warm water with a little sugar to activate it. It should become frothy, which means it's ready to use.
- When melting the butter for the dough, make sure to let it cool until just barely warm. Hot butter can kill the yeast, so it's important to let it cool before adding it to the other ingredients.
- When adding the flour to the dough, do it gradually and mix well. This will help you achieve a soft, non-sticky dough that's perfect for your buns.
Thank you for following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Tina says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have tried making many different types of bun (bulochki) recipes and this was one of my favorites. I would recommend it to everyone! Also thank you for your recipes! I look forward to them and trust them! I have made over a dozen of them already! You keep them real and perfect!
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Awe... I’m speechless! Thank you so much for kind words!
Lyuda says
So is it 3tbsp of water or a cup of water? In ingredients section it says 3 tbsp, in instructions it says a cup of water. Confusing
P.s. is there another way of communicating? Posting a comment is not convenient. I’m about to make these but I have to wait for the reply like 24 hrs....
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Yes, 3 tbsp. is correct in the ingredients list. I add 3 tbsp. of water (with yeast and sugar together) into a glass cup as mentioned in the instruction and that step is correct. You need to use a glass cup or a small glass bowl for this step (not an entire glass of water) because the yeast will grow and expand and it needs room for that.
The fastest way to get hold of me is through Instagram direct messaging. I try to reply much faster (usually within a couple of hours) to a blog comment, but if you're making a recipe and need answers right away use instamessaging.
Liliya says
I made these buns today. They came out just sooo good! I love that the dough is super soft! I did add a little sugar in with my apple because I felt that my apples were not sweet enough. I used honey crisp. My kids loved the buns! Thank you?
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Wow, that awesome! It's ok to add a little sugar. I add sugar if I use Granny Smithe apples. Thank you so much for your feedback. My family loves these buns so much, I wish I had the time to make them as often. 🙂