Morning buns from Clear Flour Bakery

[High Heels and Frijoles]

I just ate my first ever morning bun from Clear Flour Bakery and it was quite possibly the most amazing breakfast pastry I've ever had. For those of you unfamiliar with them, morning buns are sticky buns made with croissant dough. They're impossibly buttery and crusty, and topped with gooey, not-overly-sweet cinnamon caramel and perfectly toasted walnuts (nut-free version also available). Only a few dozen are made each day, so be there early and get them fresh out of the oven.

http://www.clearflourbread.com/

[twitchology]

It's very similar to a croissant dough but is more crispy and better executed than their croissants. I've been trying alot of their baked goods now, and while the others haven't been able to compete with [blah blah blah Portland has lots of artisan bakers better than everyone else blah blah blah New York Times blah], the morning buns are exceptional and right up there with the best baked goods I've ever had (aside from being spoiled by Portland, I used to live a couple doors down from Poilane's second location in the 15th - not trying to show off, just show that I've been spoiled and I think these are as good as the other luxuries I've had the privilege of enjoying). Wow, that's a really round about way of saying these are really fucking good. Just the right size so you don't over do it, light, flaky, not too sweet - sometimes I find they're a bit short on the nuts for my preference, but other than that I think they're a home run.

[trufflehound]

I haven't had one in 15 years or so. I still remember how good they are. How much are they now?

[BobB]

$2.50 apiece, which translates to about $0.10 per second of scarfing delight.

[Allstonian]

Are they made with croissant dough? They've been making the morning buns for as long as I can remember (at least 25 years) and their croissants are actually a more recent addition to the roster. In any case, I concur - the morning buns are outstanding!

[BobB]

Sure seems like croissant dough to me. Whatever it is it's addictive!

[High Heels and Frijoles]

It IS croissant dough! Very flaky...

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

My regular breakfast order from Clear Flour is a morning bun (usually without nuts) and a croissant, and I am absolutely positive that the morning buns are NOT made from the croissant dough, but from the brioche dough. The brioche dough is just as buttery and tender as the croissant dough, but it's structurally very different.

[BobB]

Could be. Guess it seems croissanty to me because structurally it appears to be made from dough that's flattened out and then rolled up. But I've never compared it side-by-side with their croissant. I bow to your empirical observation.

[Allstonian]

I don't think it's brioche dough, but I'm pretty certain that it's not the same as their croissant dough. It's slightly less tender, and much more crisp and shattery on the outside, especially on the top (opposite end from the sticky part.) Also, I just can't imagine why they would bake something else from croissant dough for something like 10 years before they decided to actually make croissants.

[High Heels and Frijoles]

Actually, it is in fact croissant dough rolled with brown sugar. I can confirm because I asked one of the bakers. Anyway, the point here really is that they are superb and everyone should treat themselves to one.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

But as Allstonian says, it doesn't make sense that they would make something with croissant dough for a full decade before they started making croissants. Whatever.

[teezeetoo]

morning buns with walnuts from clear flour! cannot have a better start to the day, though Tatte's hazelnut roses come close.