Cream Buns, a Scottish Favourite
Cream buns, or cream cookies are such a heavenly, lightly sweetened dessert filled with luscious fresh cream, it’s hard to stop at one.
Globalization can be a good thing. Unfortunately, sometimes the best that one country has to offer doesn’t “catch on” in another. (I’ll get to the Scottish cream buns in a minute.)
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For example, take McDonalds–I really shouldn’t start down this path because nothing good will come of it– so many people love McDonalds. However, I really don’t think it is the best that America has to offer the rest of the world, do you?
Then there’s wee country of Scotland, with its gifts of whisky, golf, penicillin and–well, the list is much too long to continue.
Nevertheless, in regards to food, Scotland has been given an unjustifiably bad reputation. This is probably mostly due to haggis, which happens to be extremely tasty!
There’s so much more to Scottish food, and most of it is so good! Just ask anyone who has been to Scotland (especially if they’ve had cream buns!) and I bet that one of the top reasons they give for loving their visit, is the food.
Cream Buns or Cream Cookies?
These cream buns (actually called “cream cookies” in the Glasgow area, but that would just be too confusing in the US), are made from a lightly sweetened yeast dough (not the same as choux pastry cream puffs) then brushed with a glaze as soon as they come out of the oven. When cool, they are filled with freshly whipped cream, and dusted in powdered sugar.
Cream buns sound tantalizing, don’t they? The fact that cream buns haven’t become as popular in the US, let alone Ireland, Wales or England amazes me, however, I’ll do my part to try to get them globalized! Cornish splits from England are almost identical, but most people have never heard of them unless they’re from the UK. You may also have heard of maritozzi in Rome and beyond, which are also very similar to cream buns.
If you have a bread machine or stand mixer, cream buns will take a minimum of effort. After you have the dough it’s just a matter of shaping it into balls, which even a child can do.
With the holidays coming up, keep these in mind for a party or to take to an event. (If you are able to keep them away from your family, or even get them out of the house in the first place.)
Another amazing yeast recipe: PERFECT YEAST DOUGHNUTS!
Cream buns are one of the best things Scotland and the Scots have bestowed upon us. Given that their contributions and gifts to the world include the telephone, bicycle, steam engine, and Gerard Butler–that’s really saying something!
Scottish Cream Buns
Adapted from my Cinnamon Roll recipe Makes 18
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
DOUGH
- egg
- yeast
- sugar
- milk
- butter
- salt
- water
- flour
GLAZE
- sugar
- water
TO SERVE
- powdered/confectioner’s sugar
- whipped cream (without added sugar)
Make the Cream Bun Dough
In a bread machine (the link goes to the one I have, but there are many less expensive ones) or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Allow to rest for a few minutes, until the yeast begins to grow.
Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture.
Add the flour, 1/3 cup (2.5 oz) of sugar and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix by hand if you aren’t using a machine (I love these Danish whisks).
Dough for the cream buns will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting. With a stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size.
Shape the Buns
After it’s risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut small pieces of the dough and shape into round balls, and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or silicone sheet.) I weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, but it’s really unnecessary unless you are a Type A personality.
Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a large cup of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don’t get a hard crust).
Once doubled, remove the buns from the oven.
Bake the Buns.
Preheat the oven to 350º F (175ºC) then cook the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Make the Glaze and Glaze the Cream Buns.
While the cream buns are baking, prepare the glaze. Simply combine equal amounts (I just did 1 oz each) of sugar and water in a small pot and just bring to a boil and remove from heat. Brush the buns with the glaze while they are still hot. Place on a cooling rack after glazing.
Fill and Dust the Buns!
When cool, cut a cream bun almost all the way through at an angle (see photo below), and fill with whipped cream. To finish, dust with confectioner’s sugar.
These are best served with a cup of tea, as you can see.
I hope you try this cream bun recipe; hopefully, it’s something you’ll want to share! Remember, we’re thinking “globalization”!
Love these? Try my Sicilian brioche buns with a granita and cream like they have for breakfast in Sicily!
Cream Buns, a Scottish Favourite
Special Equipment
- 1 bread machine optional
- 1 stand mixer
- 1 scale optional
Ingredients
Buns:
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 2 tsp dry yeast
- ⅓ cup + ½ tsp sugar divided
- ½ cup milk warmed
- ⅓ cup butter weigh first, then melt
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup water (lukewarm)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, more if needed
Glaze:
- 1 oz sugar
- 1 oz water
To Serve:
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar as needed
- 2 cups whipped cream (unsweetened, fresh, as needed)
Instructions
- In bread machine or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and the ½ tsp of sugar. Allow to rest for a few minutes, until the yeast begins to grow.
- Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture.
- Add the flour, ⅓ cup (70 g) of sugar, and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix by hand if you aren't using a machine.
- Dough will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting; with stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size.
- After it's risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut small pieces of the dough and shape into round balls, and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or Silpat sheet.) I weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, but it's really uneccessary unless you are a Type A personality, like me. Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a large cup of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don't get a hard crust.)
- Once doubled, remove the buns from the oven. Preheat the oven to 350º F (175ºC) then cook the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. While they are baking, prepare the glaze a few minutes before the buns are ready by combining equal amounts (I just did 1 oz/ 30 g each) of sugar and water in a tiny pot (if you have one) and cook just until it starts to boil-remove from heat. Brush the buns with the glaze while they are still hot. Place on a cooling rack after glazing.
- When cool, cut bun almost all the way through at an angle (see photo below), fill with whipped cream and dust with confectioner’s sugar.
Notes
- Use quality ingredients for the best results.
- You will likely have whipped cream leftover.
Nutrition
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Hello Christina you may be interested to know that cream buns have been a favourite in Australia for many decades. (thank you early Scottish immigrants) They are part of our childhood memories. In the 1960s you could buy them at the school tuck shop and I will always remember our smiling faces covered in cream and dusting sugar. Yum you can still buy them at most bakers today.
Oh that’s wonderful to hear, Leslie! Please tell me that they are still filled with real, unsweetened cream? Another reason I need to visit Australia, now! :) Thanks for the note!
Printed and adding to my recipe folder… I can’t wait!
Seriously one of my favorite desserts, ever!
Hi Christina, I’m so excited to find your site. I’m from Canada. Growing up we had a Scottish bakery in our area run by an 80 year old woman. I used to go there every weekend to pick up a few (I use that word loosely) sweets. When she passed it was taken over by another owner who never mastered Mrs. Burke’s desserts and the business closed. I miss those days and I have searched high and low here in Toronto, Canada trying to find a Scottish bakery that could come close to the desserts she baked. She made amazing cream doughnuts that I still dream about to this day. I’m so going to try your recipe and hope that I can revisit my youth through a delectable dessert. Wish me luck.
Hi Marlene! Oh you are so in for a treat!! These will definitely bring you back! I have lots of relatives in Toronto and would probably know if they had a fab Scottish bakery. Unfortunately, we’re usually left to our own devices. On the topic of cream doughnuts, have you seen my recipe? https://christinascucina.com/2014/01/perfect-yeast-doughnuts-sugar-filled-jam-nutella-cream.html
I hope you love both recipes! Come back to let me know how they turned out! :)
Hi! Thank you for a fun blog! I love baking but am not from the States, I’m from Sweden so it is sometimes a bit of an adventure to bake your favorites… Anyway, I tried this recipe today because I wanted to make Swedish Semlor and I’m not that experienced with buns. But I need help. They won’t rise for me. And what yeast do you use? I’m not used to these powdered kind. On a bag they have instructions that doesn’t follow your recipe, is it still suppose to work? Am I kneeding too little? And any tips for me dealing with the oven. We have a gas oven with heat underneath and I seem to burn the buns in the bottoms. Thank you! :)
Oh Helena, I am so incredibly sorry that I missed your question! I actually have the recipe for Semlor, too. You can use any yeast you are used to using, but just make sure not to use too little or too much for the amount of flour. If they didn’t rise, you 1) used too little yeast, or 2) the yeast is old or 3) you may have killed the yeast with the water being too hot, are my guesses. I would bake the buns higher up in the oven if the bottom burns. Here is the Semlor recipe: https://christinascucina.com/2016/02/semlor-traditional-swedish-fat-tuesday-buns-semla.html Once again, I’m so sorry I missed your comment!
In the process of making these now, on their first rise in the bowl but not sure how long to let them rise….
Making them for my mum as she used to buy them in a well know bakery chain in the north west of England ?
Thankyou for the recipe!
Hi Sophie, it’s 5 hours since you wrote to me, so I know it’s too late, but let the dough rise until it’s doubled in size (maybe you missed it in the recipe). Let me know how they turned out! :)
Hi, I made them and the dough did indeed double I just wondered about a rough time scale.
My mum says the dough isn’t light enough for her, maybe it was down to kneading. I used a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 5 mins because the dough was then smooth. Perhaps longer was needed?
Still taste fab though!
Hmmm…yes, Sophie, I’d try kneading longer as they should be super light. Did you let them rise enough after they were shaped? That could be another reason. Anyway, as long as they were edible the first time, you’ll probably nail it the second time! :) Good luck!
Oh sorry, about the time to rise, that’s a total “it depends” question. So many factors like how fresh the yeast is, how warm the room is, etc. It will be different every time.
Well I’m going to have another shot soon, hopefully a longer kneading and longer proving will do the trick! ?
Thanks, I didn’t knead it long enough. I was raised in Scotland and ate these every week, can’t find them in Texas, my granddaughter fell in love with them when we went to Scotland on vacation so we are trying to make a them.
Awww, I hope they turn out next time. Do you have a stand mixer? You can make the dough in that with the dough hook as well.
Guess I did something wrong. When you mix all the ingredients together how long do I hand knead the dough for, and also after I punch it down do I knead again.
What happened Jennifer? You’ll have to knead it for a few minutes, until it’s a nice soft dough. By hand, I’d say at least 8 to 10 minutes. Once you punch it down, only a minute or so, just to get the air out. Hope this helps!