Rosie Makes Heavenly Sticky Buns.

It's time for sticky buns!
I love sticky buns.
They make it worth getting up in the mornings.


There are thousands of different recipes for sticky buns
and I'm spearheading the project to attempt each and every recipe.

This one is a four-component recipe:
the dough itself,
the cinnamon filling that swirls inside the dough,
the caramel glaze that bakes on the bottom
and then becomes the top,
and the pecan topping for that extra oomph after baking.

For the Sticky Bun Dough:

3 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/4 sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1 envelope yeast

 4 - 4 1/2 cups king Arthur All Purpose Flour

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Using a stand mixer, whisk eggs, then add buttermilk to combine.  Whisk in sugar, salt and yeast.

Add 2 cups of flour and the butter, stirring until evenly moist and combined.  Add another 2 cups flour and knead with dough hook about 5 minutes.  Check on consistency of dough. Dough should be soft and moist, not sticky and wet.  If wet, add more flour.  Knead for 5 more minutes.  Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and kneed by hand for another minute.  You want a uniform dough.  If dough is sticky, add in more flour a tablespoon at a time.  I used about 4 1/2 cups flour.

Oil a large bowl and transfer dough, turning to coat dough in oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in warm spot until doubled, about 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

And don't ask me why that's all in blue.  I don't know and I can't fix it. 

For the Caramel Glaze:
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

6 TB unsalted butter, melted
3 TB corn syrup
2 TB heavy cream
pinch kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking, until butter is melted and mixture is thoroughly combined.  Pour into a 9 x13-inch baking dish.  Using an offset spatula, evenly spread the caramel mixture to evenly cover the surface of the baking dish.

For the Pecan/Cinnamon Filling:

1 cup pecans
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch kosher salt

1 TB unsalted butter, melted, reserved for later


Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, mixing with fingers until brown sugar lumps are broken up.


For the Pecan Topping:
1/4 packed brown sugar
3 TB corn syrup
3 TB unsalted buter
pinch kosher salt
3/4 cup toasted peans
1 TB vanilla

Combine pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt in small saucepan.  Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking.  Remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla until pecans are evenly coated.

Assembly:
When dough has doubled in size, turn onto lightly floured surface.  Shape dough into a rough rectangle then lightly flour and roll into a 12 x 16" rectangle.  Brush dough with reserved tablespoon of melted butter.  Evenly sprinkle cinnamon mixture over dough, pressing mixture into the dough to adhere.  Beginning with the longer side, roll dough into a tight cylinder.  Firmly pinch ends to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down.  Gently stretch the cylinder to 18 inches.  Using a serrated knife, slice cylinder into 12 even buns.  Arrange buns over caramel glaze, cover dish with plastic wrap, and allow to rise until rolls are puffy and pressing against one another - about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°.

Bake about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.  If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should register 180° in the center.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rimmed serving dish.  Scrape off any remaining glaze in the baking pan onto the buns.

Spoon pecan topping over buns.

For the step-by-steps:

Let dough double in size.

Gently turn out onto floured board.

Roll into 12 x 16" rectangle.

Sprinkle on some sweet goodness.

Press it in.

Roll up into cylinder.

Cut cylinder into 12 equal buns.

Place into pan with the caramel glaze.

Let it rise...

Let it rise...

Let it rise!

And bake.

Make the buttery, brown sugary topping while the buns are baking.

Invert the sticky buns.

And pour on the pecan topping.

I had to take the end pinch.

Bakers have rights, you know.

This is what they mean by, "Good morning!"

A mug of steaming coffee.

And a sticky bun.

Good morning, indeed!