Merida's wee triplet brothers, Harris, Hubert, and Hamish are ever willing to step up to the plate for their feisty older sister - especially if it happens to be topped with a sweet reward. Made with biscuit dough and frosted with maple-flavored glaze, these Scottish buns are a quick and scrumptious treat for kids to help bake.
by Cindy Littlefield
What you'll need
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 cup walnuts, crushed or finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter
For the buns:
- 2 1/4 cup flour, plus a little extra for rolling out the dough
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 cup milk
For the frosting and topping:
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple sugar
- 1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped (optional)
Kitchen supplies:
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
- Kitchen knife
- Baking sheet topped with parchment paper
- Spatula
- Cooling rack
How to make it
- Make the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts (if you’re using them) in a small mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the sugar mixture so that it resembles a coarse meal. Set the mixture aside for now.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile, prepare the dough for the buns. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are pea-sized. Pour in the milk and stir just until the dough pulls together. Turn the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and roll it out to a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Tip: To keep the buns tender, handle the dough as briefly as possible.
- Sprinkle the filling atop the dough. Starting at one of the long edges, roll the dough into a log. Gently squeeze and shape the log to stick the loose dough edge down and to seal the ends. Slice the log into inch-thick pieces and place them, spaced apart, on the baking sheet. Bake the buns just until the tops begin to turn golden brown, about 8 minutes.
- While the buns bake, prepare the glaze by creaming together the cream cheese and butter in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the powdered sugar and maple syrup, stirring until smooth.
- Transfer the baked buns to a cooling rack. Allow the buns to cool slightly and then frost them. Sprinkle the tops with the chopped cranberries, and enjoy.
