Cinnamon Buns: Undercooked or over?? The debate rages on…

Indeed it does, and really, it has been raging for years it seems, as everywhere I look, everyone I ask, a different opinion is thrown my way. But who shall reign supreme when it comes to making a choice between undercooked cinnamon buns and overcooked?

Perhaps it’s at the same level as steak, burgers, or maybe even brownies, to stick to something on the sweeter side of the spectrum of these guilty eats we just can’t seem to stay away from.

As far as sweet treats are concerned Cinnamon Buns are perhaps one that everyone has at least tasted once in their lives. If you’re reading this and you haven’t, brother or sister of mine…you have been missing out. Get thee to the closest bakery that serves them and delve good people, delve deep into the wonders you have indeed been missing.

And hey, even though they are a guilty pleasure, Cinnamon Buns aren’t that bad for you.

Cinnamon goes back to ancient times—even as far back as Egypt, according to healthline.com. That’s right…none other than King Tutankhamen was shaving a little cinnamon over his toast every morning. Perhaps even Ramses as Moses bellowed for the freedom of his good people just outside his palace gate.

All these years later and when I think of these historical figures I can’t help but picture them as they seemed in those classic Cecil B. DeMille films! “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille,” as Gloria Swanson once said.

Anyways…cinnamon probably tastes its best on Cinnamon Buns, but how do you like yours…undercooked or over?

Cinnamon has many health benefits, as the aforementioned source suggests. They have antioxidants, and those are a really great to help rid the body of well…oxidants.

An explanation of the scientific purpose of antioxidants can be found at nationaljewish.org, but in essence it works as stated on their site:

"“Oxidants are reactive molecules that are produced both inside your body and the environment that can react with other cellular molecules in your body such as protein, DNA and lipids.When it does that, it damages molecules and it’s what causes disease and inflammation…An antioxidant is a molecule, as the term suggests, that defends you against those oxidants.”"

Cinnamon can also help lower blood sugar and even help prevent the onset of heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.

So next time you bite into your next Cinnamon Bun, remember they’re not all bad.

In fact they’re delicious, but now this brings us to the point of this here piece…the aforementioned debate that has indeed been going on for a long time (perhaps not as far back as ancient Egypt, but you never know).

Those for undercooked Cinnamon Buns

It isn’t all that hard to get the cinnamon buns you make at home to be slightly under or really-big-time-under (if you’re like me)…just take them pout a tad early.

Or, if you want to get technical about it seeing that we already got a little scientific in this piece (my old science teacher, Mr. DiMora would be proud), all you need to do is add a wee bit of extra fat.

If the recipe calls for a certain amount of fat, you add a little bit more fat in the batter. Then take them out a tad early and you’ve got yourself a really soft Cinnamon Bun.

But why…why are they so delectable for some when soft? Well, for some, soft buns hit that ooey gooey factor we like in most sweet foods, and really for some, that feeling you get from a hard or dry baked good really turns us off.

Also, don’t they taste that much sweeter to you when soft? They do to me. Cooking them way too long or overcooking them tends to bring in a bitterness that also turns many eaters off, which brings us to our next point…

Those for overcooked Cinnamon Buns

There are those that like that sharper taste…the bitterness that can come from an overcooked bun. Likewise, the cinnamon present tends to also get a tad more bitter the more it’s baked, and the bread, which is also rendered bitter by the overcooking. So in the end, you get a taste that turns people off but pleases so many others.

Again, I’d like to look at steak. Most people are in the rare or medium rare contingent, but there are those that love a dry, dry steak, and as grey as they come. To each his or her own, as they say.

And the winner is…

In the end dear readers, that’s up to you, but if you ask me, the softer the better when it comes to Cinnamon Buns. Why go for them if an explosion of sweetness isn’t what you get when you bite down on them (albeit you don’t have to bite all too hard when they’re soft, ooey and gooey…behold yet another plus in favor of soft Cinnamon Buns.

Enjoy your Cinnamon Buns out there dear readers, but don’t forget to sound off on which one does it for you.