Sticky Buns are the first cousins to cinnamon rolls and with that tender yeast dough, cinnamon and sugar filling and rolled up into delicious bite. The difference lies in the icing. Cinnamon rolls often have a cream cheese or similarly thick icing on top and a sticky bun is baked on a bed of butter and brown sugar which will become the gooey topping. I’m not sure which I prefer, but sticky buns have been our Christmas and Easter morning breakfast since my kids were babies.

Tips:

• This is a great recipe to prepare the day before. Just follow the recipe to step 6 and place the pan, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator until the next morning. The next day, remove the pan from the refrigerator and allow the buns to sit at room temperature for an hour then proceed with baking as directed. You will notice they rose overnight and will do a little more the next morning.

• Store leftover sticky buns wrapped at room temperature for a few days or freeze.

Sticky Buns

Recipe by King Arthur Baking

Makes 16 buns

INGREDIENTS

Dough

4 cups (482g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup (28g) Baker's Special Dry Milk

1/4 cup (46g) potato flour or cornstarch, or 1/2 cup (46g) instant potato flakes

1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) salt

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm water

1 cup (227g) sour cream

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling

8 tablespoons softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Topping

6 tablespoons (85g) melted butter

1 cup (212g) brown sugar

1 cup (113g) diced pecans or walnuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the dough: Combine all the dry ingredients for the dough in the bowl of your stand mixer or in a large bowl, if doing by hand. Add the wet ingredients and using the dough hook begin to mix and knead the dough until a soft, even ball of dough is formed. The dough will be sticky, but smooth.

2. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area and allow the dough to proof for 1-2 hours. The dough will rise, but will not double in size.

3. While the dough is finishing this first proof prepare the 9”x13” pan by adding the topping.

4. To make the topping: Combine the ingredients for topping and place them in the pan in an even single layer.

5. To make the filling: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until incorporated.

6. To assemble the buns: Place the dough on a lightly greased surface. Roll the dough into a 16”x20” rectangle. Carefully spread the filling all over the dough, avoiding a strip of 1” along one of the 16” sides.

7. Start to roll the dough starting with the 16” side that has the filling. Continue to roll the dough, as tightly as possible, until you get to the other side. Slice the dough into 16 even pieces.

8. Place the buns in the prepared pan and cover. *at this point you can refrigerate until the next day otherwise continue with recipe

9. Allow the covered buns to rest again for 90 minutes.

10. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the sticky buns for 35-40 minutes. If the buns start to get too dark you can tent them around 30 minutes with foil.

11. Use a knife to loosen the sticky buns around the edges. In a swift motion invert the pan onto a parchment lined rimmed, baking sheet or an equally large rimmed platter. The hot sugar from the bottom will flip out and it is hot so be careful. Enjoy!