Caramelized Peach Cheesecake Buns

Name: Caramelized Peach Cheesecake Buns
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Bulgarian
Ingredients: 1 cup warm whole milk; 7 g (1 packet) active dry yeast; 2 tsp honey (or sugar); 1 tbsp olive, avocado, or vegetable oil; 1 large egg; ½ tsp salt; 3–3½ cups all-purpose flour; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; 2–3 tbsp powdered sugar; Optional: a few spoonfuls of mascarpone cheese; 3–4 peaches, sliced; 1 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp light brown sugar; ½ cup all-purpose flour; ¼ cup light brown sugar; ¼ cup cold butter

Fluffy buns with cheesecake filling, buttery caramelized peaches, and streusel.

Serves

10–12 buns

Time

2 hr

Soft, fluffy homemade buns filled with creamy cheesecake filling, buttery caramelized peaches, and topped with a sweet crunchy streusel. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee treat.

Instructions

Dough

1
Combine warm milk, yeast, honey, and oil in a large bowl. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2
Add egg and salt, then gradually add flour until a soft dough forms.
3
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes (by hand or stand mixer).
4
Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.

Fillings

1
Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Mix in mascarpone if using.
2
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
3
Add peach slices and cook a few minutes per side until softened and lightly caramelized. Cool slightly.
4
For the streusel: combine flour and brown sugar, cut in cold butter until crumbly, and refrigerate until needed.

Assemble & Bake

1
Divide dough into 10–12 portions and shape each into a smooth ball on a parchment-lined sheet.
2
Cover and let rise 20–30 minutes.
3
Press a deep well into the center of each bun using a glass, measuring cup, or large spoon. Press again if the dough puffs back.
4
Fill each well with the cream cheese mixture, top with caramelized peaches, and sprinkle generously with streusel.
5
Optional: brush the dough edges with egg wash for a shinier finish.
6
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

Toti’s Tips

✓Let the dough rise until it's fully doubled, even if that takes closer to an hour in a cool kitchen. A dough that hasn't doubled won't have the air structure it needs, and the buns come out dense instead of fluffy.
✓If your kitchen is cold, warm the oven briefly, then turn it off completely before putting the dough inside to rise. The residual warmth speeds up fermentation, but leaving the oven on would bake the dough before it's ready.
✓Press the well in the center of each bun firmly, and press again if the dough puffs back up before filling. Dough is elastic and wants to spring back, so it often takes a second press to hold the shape.
✓Let the caramelized peaches cool slightly before placing them in the filled buns. Very hot peaches can melt the cream cheese filling into a runny mess before the buns even go in the oven.
✓Brush the exposed dough edges with egg wash if you want that shiny, bakery-style crust — the egg proteins brown and glaze in the oven's heat in a way plain dough doesn't.
✓These are best served slightly warm or at room temperature, since the cheesecake filling is at its creamiest before it's had time to fully chill and firm up.