The Ultimate Sticky Buns Recipes

THE ULTIMATE STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely. Set 1 1/4 cups nuts aside for buns.
• Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cream, honey, salt, and orange zest, if using. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until glaze is golden brown and glossy, 3-4 minutes. Pour 1 cup of glaze into baking pan, tilting to coat bottom and sides. Set aside remaining glaze. Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted pecans over bottom of baking pan and let cool.
• For buns:
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Set filling aside.
• Punch down dough; transfer to a floured work surface. Lightly dust top with flour. Follow instructions in Cooks' Notes, for assembling buns with filling and 3/4 cup pecans. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill buns and remaining glaze separately. Store remaining pecans airtight at room temperature.
• Loosely cover pan with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let buns rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or 1 1/2-2 hours if dough has been chilled overnight.
• Arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Whisk egg with 1/2 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg wash. Bake, rotating pan halfway through and tenting with foil if browning too quickly, until buns are golden brown, filling is bubbling, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of buns registers 185°F, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Spoon remaining glaze over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans over. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Lightly sprinkle sea salt over. Serve buns warm or at room temperature.

ULTIMATE STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• For Dough:
• Mix 1/4 cup warm water, yeast, and pinch of sugar in small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat remaining sugar, butter, milk powder, and salt in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in remaining 3/4 cup warm water and yeast mixture, then 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Using rubber spatula, mix in 1 cup flour, scraping down sides of bowl frequently (dough will be soft and sticky). Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour onto work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes.
• Butter another large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm area until doubled, about 2 1/2 hours.
• For Glaze:
• Butter two 10-inch round cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Beat brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, honey, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in medium bowl to blend. Spread half of glaze in bottom of each prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup pecans over each.
• Punch down dough. Divide dough in half. Roll each dough piece out on floured work surface to 12x9-inch rectangle. Brush any excess flour off dough. Spread remaining butter over dough rectangles, dividing equally. Mix 4 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over rectangles. Starting at 1 long side, tightly roll up each rectangle into log. Cut each log into 12 rounds. Place 12 rounds, cut side down, in each prepared pan, spacing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap. (Can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate.) Let buns rise in warm area until almost doubled, about 1 hour (or 1 hour 25 minutes if refrigerated).
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake buns until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Run small knife around pan sides to loosen sticky buns. Turn hot buns out onto platter. Cool about 30 minutes and serve.

STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Combine the yeast mixture with the buttermilk, eggs, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup softened butter, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Dough should remain soft and slightly sticky. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 12x7 inch rectangle. Spread each half with 1 tablespoon softened butter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll up halves, beginning at wide side. Seal well by pinching the seams. Cut each roll into 12 slices.
• Coat two 9 inch round cake pans each with 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons raisins and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Place 12 dough slices in each pan, leaving a small space between slices. Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Invert pans onto plates and serve.

OOEY-GOOEY CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cup flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• While dough is rising, melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/2 cup pecans; set aside. Melt remaining butter; set aside. Combine remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, and cinnamon; set aside.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll into an 18x14 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, leaving 1/2 inch border uncovered; sprinkle with brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Starting at long side, tightly roll up, pinching seam to seal. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. With serrated knife, cut into 15 pieces; place cut side down, in prepared pan. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Scrape remaining filling from the pan onto the rolls.

OTHER WORLDLY STICKY BUNS

Steps:

• For the dough: Add the yeast into 1/2 cup of the warm water (think bathtub temperature) and give it a nice stir. It needs to foam up. If it doesn't, it means it's not active, it's dead and your bread won't rise. Add a pinch of sugar to help the yeast grow. Let sit 5 minutes or so.
• Add the butter to your mixer, turn on to begin creaming and add the 1 cup sugar. When it's light and fluffy, add the milk powder and salt. Add your eggs, incorporating 1 before adding the other. Turn off and scrape down the bowl, making sure to get any batter off the bottom and that there are no lumps. Add the remaining 1 cup warm water and then the yeast. Add the flour in stages, it should start to look like dough. Beat for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the mixer.
• Flour a work surface so the dough doesn't stick. Dump out the dough, adding more flour if sticky. Begin kneading by folding the dough in on itself, and keep pushing it out. Keep kneading until it's lump-free and no longer sticky. Put in a nicely greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place until it doubles, 2 1/2 hours or so.
• While the dough is growing, make your glaze: Put your butter in a bowl. (Having the butter at room temperature means that the sugar will incorporate better and make easier to stir.) Add your honey, dark corn syrup and brown sugar. Give it a good stir and add 1/4 cup water. The butter might separate, and that's fine. It won't look pretty, but it will taste good when done baking!
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a deep pie plate with fluted edges.
• Pour the glaze in the bottom of your dish, sprinkle the pecans over top and set aside while you roll out the dough.
• Flour your work surface. Punch the dough down to deflate it and then cut in half. Put the first piece on the floured surface, adding more flour if it's still sticky. Flour your rolling pin as well and roll the dough out into a square about 10 inches.
• Combine your cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, brush with half the melted butter and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar. Take the long side and fold and roll it up in on itself. Cut the dough in half, then divide the halves into thirds, ending up with 6 pieces. Stick them right onto the glaze and nuts in your pan. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cover with plastic and let rise about 1 hour or so in a warm space. Bake until the buns are a nice golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Mix together the confectioners' sugar and water to desired consistency. Invert your cake stand or a plate on top of the buns, then flip the pan over. Tap the bottom of the pan to loosen the buns and lift the pan away. Drizzle your royal icing over the top in zig zags, cut and serve.