Cinnamon Crumb Buns

1 week ago 29

A close-up of Cinnamon Crumb Buns topped with creamy white icing and crumbly brown sugar, served on a white plate.

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Soft cinnamon crumb buns with a buttery topping and cream cheese icing. Easy bakery-style recipe for perfect homemade buns every time.

Know Before You Scroll

Servings: 8 buns

Prep: 3 hours

Cook: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Milk, yeast, sugar, egg, butter, flour, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, cream cheese, powdered sugar

Sweet, buttery, cinnamon-spiced, creamy finish

Mixing bowl, rolling pin, baking dish

Chill the crumb topping so it holds its texture

Prepare the rolls and refrigerate overnight before the final rise

Use light brown sugar instead of dark for a milder flavor

A close-up of Cinnamon Crumb Buns topped with crumbly streusel and drizzled with white icing, being lifted from a baking tray. Other cinnamon rolls and stacked plates are visible in the background.

Recipe Notes

If you didn’t grow up in New York or New Jersey, there’s a good chance you’ve never had a true crumb bun before. They’re a classic East Coast bakery staple that’s a lot like crumb cake, but made with soft yeasted dough instead of cake batter. The best ones are piled ridiculously high with buttery brown sugar crumbs, just like my New Jersey Crumb Cake recipe. Traditional crumb buns are usually baked in a sheet pan and cut into squares, with the crumb topping completely stealing the show. I grew up loving them in New Jersey, and when I was living in England back in 2016, I missed them so much that I decided to create my own version at home. Instead of sticking to the classic bakery style, I reinvented them as oversized cinnamon-roll-style buns with buttery crumb swirled inside and piled on top too. If you want a more traditional crumb bun experience, you can simply press the dough into a sheet pan instead of rolling it, top generously with crumbs, and bake it as squares.

Over the years, the recipe quietly earned a handful of wonderful 5-star reviews, but it never really got the attention it deserved. Revisiting it now gave me the chance to make it even better. The original recipe only had the crumb filling layered inside, but this updated version adds a buttery cinnamon sugar layer for even more flavor and that classic cinnamon bun feel. I also completely refreshed the post with brand-new photos, a step-by-step video, and much more helpful guidance throughout so these bakery-style crumb buns are easier than ever to make at home.

A close-up of Cinnamon Crumb Buns topped with crumbly streusel and drizzled with white icing, served on a white plate.

Ingredient Notes

A variety of baking ingredients for Cinnamon Crumb Buns, including eggs, brown and white sugar, flour, salt, butter, yeast, sour cream, vanilla, and baking powder, are arranged in bowls and containers on a white surface.

Whole milk for richness and softness

2% milk works, but the buns will be slightly less tender

Dark brown sugar for deeper flavor

Light brown sugar for a lighter caramel note

Use melted butter for chunky crumbs

None recommended for best texture

Full-fat cream cheese for a rich finish

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Step By Step Instructions

Make the Dough

Whisk the warm milk and sugar together, then sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let it sit until foamy. Add the egg and melted butter, then mix in the salt and 3 cups of flour. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Two photos of a metal mixing bowl with a foamy, bubbly yeast mixture inside—a key step in making Cinnamon Crumb Buns. The left image shows a top-down view, while the right is a close-up of the foamy yeast surface.

Knead and Rise

Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. If it sticks heavily, add a little more flour. Place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled. It should look puffy and airy when ready.

the left bowl holds a small ball of dough before rising, while the right shows the same dough, now doubled in size and covered with plastic wrap after rising.

Make Cinnamon Filling

Mix the filling ingredients until smooth and spreadable. For the crumb topping, combine the dry ingredients, then stir in melted butter until it forms large, soft clumps. It should resemble damp sand with chunks. Chill most of it, reserving about ½ cup for later.

on the left, a glass bowl with brown sugar, white sugar, butter, and spices for Cinnamon Crumb Buns; on the right, the same ingredients mixed into a rich, brown batter.

Make Crumb

For the crumb topping, combine the dry ingredients, then stir in melted butter until it forms large, soft clumps. It should resemble damp sand with chunks.

A clear glass bowl filled with crumbly brown sugar and butter mixture, perfect for Cinnamon Crumb Buns, with a metal fork partially buried in the mixture, on a white background.

Assemble the Buns

Roll the dough into a rectangle. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly, then sprinkle ½ crumb mixture over it.

A collage shows dough rolled out, a spoon spreading brown filling on dough, and dough covered with a crumbly brown sugar-cinnamon mixture—classic steps for making Cinnamon Crumb Buns, ready to bake.

Slice the buns

Roll tightly into a log, seal the edge, and slice into large buns. Place them in a prepared baking dish. Cover and let the rolls rise for 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy and touching. Sprinkle the reserved crumb topping over the tops, then bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rolls are set and golden brown. Tent with foil halfway through if the crumbs start browning too quickly.

covered raw dough, risen dough, topped with crumbly streusel, and fully baked golden brown buns. Each tray is lined with parchment paper.

Ice and Serve

Beat the icing until smooth and pourable. Add milk gradually until it drizzles easily.

A glass bowl with cream cheese and powdered sugar, then mixed with a hand mixer, and finally smoothed with a spatula to form creamy frosting—perfect for topping freshly baked Cinnamon Crumb Buns.

Serve

Spoon or drizzle over warm buns so it melts slightly into the crumb. Best served warm!

Close-up of Cinnamon Crumb Buns with crumbly streusel topping and drizzled white icing, sitting on a baking tray. Plates are stacked in the background.

A close-up of Cinnamon Crumb Buns topped with creamy white icing and crumbly brown sugar, served on a white plate.

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Serves 8 buns

Dough Ingredients:

▢ 1¼ cups hot milk (about 110°F / 43°C)
▢ 1 packet (2¼ tsp instant dry yeast)
▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
▢ 1 large egg (room temperature)
▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted, plus more for greasing)
▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)
▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick very soft )
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla
▢ ¼ cup dark brown sugar (packed )
▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ 1 pinch table salt (optional)
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crumb Topping:

▢ 1½ cups all-purpose flour
▢ ½ cup dark brown sugar (packed )
▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1¼ sticks, melted and slightly cooled)

Cream Cheese Icing:

▢ 6 tablespoons softened cream cheese
▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened )
▢ ½ cup powdered sugar
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 3 tablespoons milk (warmed, plus more until desired consistency)

Make the Dough:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together hot milk and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add the egg and melted butter, whisk to combine.
Mix in salt and 3 cups of flour. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead by hand or with a mixer for 6–8 minutes, adding more flour as needed until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

Make the Fillings:

Mix butter, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable.

Crumb Topping:

In a medium bowl, mix flour, both sugars, salt, and cinnamon.
Pour in melted butter and stir with a fork until large crumbs form.
Set the crumbs aside while the dough finishes rising.

Assemble the Rolls:

Roll out risen dough on a floured surface into a 9×14-inch rectangle.
Spread the cinnamon sugar butter evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one long edge.
Sprinkle the ½ the crumb topping evenly over the butter layer. Lightly press to help it stick. Reserve the other ½ of the crumb mixture for sprinkling on top of the buns later.
Roll up tightly from the opposite long side and pinch the edge to seal.
Slice into 6–8 even rolls and place into a greased or parchment-lined baking dish.

Final Rise:

Cover the pan and let rolls rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy and touching.

Add Crumbs and Bake:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Once rolls have risen, sprinkle the reserved crumb topping over the tops for that golden, bakery-style finish.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until rolls are set and tops are golden brown. Tent with foil halfway if needed to prevent over-browning.

Make the Icing:

Beat together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix well.
Slowly add warm milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency.

Finish and Serve:

Let buns cool slightly, then drizzle with icing. Serve warm and melty!

Don’t overheat the milk. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast. Aim for warm to the touch, not hot.
Chilling the crumb topping makes a big difference. It keeps the crumbs from melting into the dough and helps them stay chunky.
Roll the dough tightly so the buns hold their shape and don’t unravel while baking.
If the tops brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil halfway through baking.

Add chopped pecans or walnuts for a crunchy texture that pairs beautifully with the crumb topping.

Mix a little espresso powder into the crumb for a subtle coffee flavor that enhances the cinnamon.

Swap the cream cheese icing for a simple vanilla glaze if you want something lighter.

Add a thin layer of apple butter under the filling for a fall-inspired twist.

Store leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

To reheat, warm in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds until soft and slightly melty.

Freeze baked buns without icing for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat before icing.