This easy finger bun recipe is a throwback to the classic bakery treat many of us in Australia grew up with. Soft, fluffy brioche buns are glazed and topped with a smooth buttercream icing, then finished with desiccated coconut or colourful sprinkles - your choice. Perfect for morning tea or a nostalgic party plate, these buns are a sweet trip down memory lane.
Category
Dessert
Servings
12
Prep time
40 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
This easy finger bun recipe is a throwback to the classic bakery treat many of us in Australia grew up with. Soft, fluffy brioche buns are glazed and topped with a smooth buttercream icing, then finished with desiccated coconut or colourful sprinkles - your choice. Perfect for morning tea or a nostalgic party plate, these buns are a sweet trip down memory lane.

Ingredients
-
7g (2 ¼ tsp) sachet dried yeast
-
75g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
-
250ml (1 cup) milk, lukewarm
-
600g (4 ¾ cups) bread flour
-
1 tsp fine sea salt
-
1 tsp mixed spice
-
1 tsp vanilla extract
-
2 eggs, beaten
-
150g butter, diced, at room temperature
-
100g sultanas
-
1 tbsp caster sugar
-
1 tsp powdered gelatine
-
20ml (1 tbsp) hot water
-
185g unsalted butter, at room temperature
-
360g (2¼ cups) icing sugar
-
40ml (2 tbsp/1.35oz) milk
-
pink food colouring
-
sprinkles/100’s & 1000s, desiccated coconut, to decorate
Finger bun
Glaze
Icing
Directions
Prep and proof the dough
Place the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and pour over the milk. Let sit for 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
Add the flour, remaining sugar, mixed spice, vanilla, salt, and eggs to the milk mixture and fit the dough hook attachment.
Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, then add the butter a few cubes at a time, allowing to incorporate before adding more.
Increase the speed to medium, and mix for 5 minutes, until the dough is pulling away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
Add in the sultanas and beat for a further minute, until mixed through.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured bench and form into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free place for 1½ to 2 hours until doubled in size.
Shape the dough
Preheat the oven to 175°C fan forced (345°F) (for next step of cooking the buns)
Grease a 22cm x 33cm (9 x 13 inch) baking tray.
Punch down the dough, then transfer to a lightly floured bench and divide into 12 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a tight ball, then push out into a rectangle shape and add to the prepared pan.
Cover loosely again and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Cook the buns and glaze
Place your buns in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden in colour and sounds hollow when gently tapped on the base.
While they are baking, make your glaze. Stir ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, without boiling, until gelatine dissolves.
Once ready, take your buns out of the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
Brush tops with the hot glaze. Allow to completely cool, then separate into individual buns. While they are cooling, start the next step of preparing your icing.
Prep the icing
Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until very pale. Gradually beat in half of the icing sugar, then mix in the milk. Beat in remaining icing sugar until very light and fluffy.
Transfer half the icing to a medium bowl and mix in some pink food colouring. Spoon icing into a piping bag fitted with a straight nozzle.
Spoon white icing into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.
Ice and serve
Pipe the white icing onto 6 of the buns and decorate with sprinkles. Then pipe the pink icing onto the remaining buns and sprinkle with coconut.
Place onto a plate or tray and enjoy!
Recipe notes
Cook support
Your room temperature will affect the proofing time, so keep checking on the dough as it rises, being careful to not let it overproof.
Substitutions
We used gel food colouring, but you can use liquid drops, just add it gradually until you get the desired colour.
Storage
Store your finger buns in an airtight container in a cool pantry.
FAQs
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Yes, you can knead the dough by hand, it'll just take a bit more elbow grease. Expect to knead for about 10–12 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Do I have to use sultanas?
Not at all, feel free to leave them out if you're not a fan, or swap them for currants, dried cranberries, or even choc chips for something different.
What’s the best way to get the icing neat?
A piping bag helps with neatness, but if you don’t have one, use a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off or spread the icing on with a butter knife for a rustic look.
How do I know when my dough has proofed enough?
It should double in size and feel puffy to the touch. If you press it gently and it slowly springs back, you’re good to go. If it deflates or has large bubbles, it may be over-proofed.