Making Pizza Hut Cinnamon Sticks At Home | But Better

Cinnamon Sugar:

1. In a small bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside. 

‍Smoked, Salted Brown Butter: 

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter to melt, swirling often until the milk solids toast and the butter reaches a deep brown color.
2. Pour the brown butter into a bowl set over an ice bath and continue to stir until it turns to a more-firm, softened butter.
3. To smoke the brown butter, mold a double-layer of aluminum foil into a 3” (7.5cm) diameter bowl and place into a large heat-proof container (such as an aluminum hotel pan, or a deep baking or roasting pan). Into the foil bowl, add a couple ½” (12mm)  nuggets of compressed wood. Light the nuggets with a kitchen torch until they’re fully charred and beginning to smoke. Lightly blow on them until smoking.
4. Place the bowl of brown butter into the pan with the smoking nuggets of wood. Cover the pan and smoke for 15 minutes. 
5. Remove the lid, taste the butter and repeat the process again if you prefer a more smoky flavor. Set aside at room temperature. 

‍Cream Cheese Icing:

1. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Using an electric hand mixer, beat together until smooth and homogeneous.
2. Add the powdered sugar, in batches, and beat until the icing is smooth without any lumps.
3. Beat in vanilla paste and then add the milk incrementally, about 2 teaspoons at a time, to thin out until the icing reaches a consistency thin enough to drizzle, but not watery.

‍Dough:

1. In a large bowl, add the flour and salt and whisk to combine. 
2. Lightly grease a separate, large bowl with vegetable oil. 
3. Heat the water to 95℉ (35℃) and add the yeast. Whisk to combine and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 
4. Pour the yeast mixture into the seasoned flour and mix by hand until a rough dough forms. Then, with your hand in a scoop shape, knead the dough by picking it up and slapping it against the bowl, repeatedly for a few minutes, until the dough starts to pull from the sides of the bowl and becomes smooth. Continue to knead the dough until taut and smooth, 3-4 minutes.
5. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, roll into a smooth ball, and place in the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. Alternatively, the dough can rise and cold ferment in the fridge overnight. 
6. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces (around 70-80g each). Roll them into light balls, cover with a damp towel, and rest for 10 minutes.
7. Roll each ball into a 3.5” (9cm) sausage shape and place in an 8x8” (20x20cm) pan, which will fit 2 rows of 4. Repeat with a second pan. Cover both pans with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
8. Preheat the oven to 425℉ (220℃). 
9. Generously brush the sticks with clarified butter, making sure to use all of it. 
10. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the breadsticks with all of the smoked brown butter then generously sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of each (but not all of it). 
12. Immediately remove the buttered and sugared buns from the baking pans and place on a cooling rack to maintain the crispy bottoms.
13. Place the breadstick on a sheet tray or a serving platter with a ramekin of your cream cheese icing. Optionally drizzle some of the icing on top of the breadsticks and enjoy while still warm.