Gingerbread Christmas Buns – A Symphony of Sweetness and Spice
These buns are a love letter to ginger in all its glorious forms. Fresh ginger brings a bright, zesty kick, ground ginger adds depth, and stem ginger—sticky and sweet—takes it over the top. Each bite is a symphony of spice and sweetness, perfectly balanced and utterly irresistible.
Making them is as much a holiday ritual as hanging stockings or trimming the tree. The dough, enriched and buttery, comes together easily, filling your kitchen with the promise of something special. As the buns bake, they puff up gloriously, their golden tops hinting at the treasures within. And then there’s the finishing touch—a generous brushing of syrup from the stem ginger jar, followed by a final flourish of ginger-cinnamon sugar. It’s this glistening coat that transforms them from delicious to dazzling.
The beauty of these buns is their versatility. Serve them warm, straight from the oven, for an unforgettable breakfast. Pair them with a smear of cream cheese or a dollop of clotted cream if you’re feeling decadent. They’re just as delightful later in the day, perhaps alongside a steaming cup of spiced tea.
If you’re a ginger enthusiast, these buns are your dream come true. But even if you’re more of a casual fan, they’re likely to win you over with their festive charm and cozy warmth. And what better way to start Christmas Day than with a breakfast that feels as joyful as the holiday itself?
So, this year, let the gifts wait just a little longer. Gather your loved ones around the table, share these Gingerbread Christmas Breakfast Buns, and create a new holiday tradition—one filled with spice, sweetness, and memories to last a lifetime.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 package quick rising yeast
- 50 ml warm water 100 to 110 degrees
- 200 ml unsalted butter room temperature
- 50 ml sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 5 ml white vinegar
- 2.5 ml pure vanilla extract
- 50 ml sour cream
- 50 ml molasses
- 450 ml all-purpose flour plus more for work surface
- 250 ml bread flour
- 5 ml coarse salt
- 2.5 ml ground ginger
- 2.5 ml ground cinnamon
- 1.25 ml ground cardamom
- .625 ml ground all spice
- 15 ml freshly grated ginger
For the Filling
- 30 ml unsalted butter melted
- 50 ml sugar
- 5 ml ground cinnamon
- 2.5 ml ground ginger
- 2.5 ml ground cardamom
- 50 ml chopped walnuts or pecans
- 50 ml diced stem ginger substitute crystalized ginger
- all purpose flour for rolling
- 30 ml syrup from the stem ginger or melted unsalted butter for brushing the tops of the buns after baking
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a small bowl, mix together yeast and 5 ml of the sugar in warm water; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the rest of the sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing until well incorporated.
- Next, add the vinegar and vanilla; mix to combine. Slowly add in the sour cream and molasses, and the yeast mixture. Mix until well incorporated
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice and cardamom and the grated fresh ginger, Add to the mixer and mix on low until well combined and dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and just begins to form a ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Place the dough into a lightly floured large bowl and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 3 to 4 hours.
Prepare the Buns
- In medium bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger and cardamom, mix until well blended. Set aside.
- Grease a 23 x 23 cm baking pan or one 12-cup muffin tin with softened butter. Set aside.
- Turn yeast dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 48 x 25 cm rectangle. Brush with the melted unsalted butter and liberally sprinkle with 3/4 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Scatter the chopped walnuts and stem ginger evenly over the dough.
- Beginning with the long side facing you, tightly roll the dough away from you into a log; pinch edge of dough to seal. Cut dough crosswise into 4 cm pieces.
- Place the buns, cut side up into the prepared baking pan or muffin pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in warm place until buns double in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat oven and bake buns:
- Preheat oven to 175°C. Once dough has doubled in size, remove plastic wrap and place on middle rack in oven. Bake until golden and puffed, about 22 to 24 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on wire rack. Brush the ops with the syrup from the stem ginger, or some melted unsalted butter, then sprinkle the with the remaining ginger-cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.