Sticky Buns for Easter

 

I love sticky buns.  They’re in my DNA.  Both my parents grew up in Philadelphia, a hotbed of sticky bun appreciation.  So my preferences were imprinted early and involve a sticky topping embedded with pecans riding atop a buttery, soft, close crumbed dough enriched with a spiral of cinnamon sugar goodness.

These may seem like a lot of work but they’re not, especially if you make the dough and prepare the pan with the topping the day before you serve them.  Just take it in steps and don’t worry.

Sticky Buns for Easter

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Tea Time
Cuisine: American
Servings: 29 inch pans of buns

Ingredients
For the Dough
1 cup milk
1 stick butter salted or unsalted
1/3 cup honey or sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
2 eggs lightly beaten
3.5 cups AP flour or 438 gms
For the Topping
1cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrupLight Karo
1 stick butter salted or unsalted
3 tbsp cocoa powder optional
2 cups pecans

Filling
1/2 stick butter melted
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cocoa powder optional

Instructions
To Make the Dough
1. You may mix this soft dough by hand or in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment.

2. Pour milk into mixing bowl. Melt butter on the stove or in the microwave. Pour hot melted butter into the milk. Add the honey, salt, yeast and eggs. Use whisk to mix together. Do not beat or froth.

3. Add the flour and stir to mix with wooden spoon or your hands. If a stubborn amount of flour remains then wet your hands and mix in the last bit. If using a mixer, mix just until flour is incorporated. Do not knead. The dough will be soft.

4. Scrape down the dough from the sides of the bowl and incorporate it into the dough mass. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it doubles, about 1-2 hours. The dough will be much easier to work with if you refrigerate it at this point. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or overnight.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the topping

Prepare the Topping
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the corn syrup and the brown sugar and stir. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to mix. Once the mixture comes to a boil allow it to cook for 1 minute. Immediately pour it into two 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Top the syrup with the pecans. Set aside while you prepare the buns once the dough is ready.

Make the Buns
1. Remove the risen dough from the bowl and knead it a few times to bring it together. Divide it in half.

2. Roll out each piece of dough into a 9″ by 14″ rectangle. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Add cocoa powder if using. Brush lightly with melted butter. Sprinkle half the cinnamon-sugar over each dough rectangle

3. For small buns, roll the dough up as for a jelly roll with the long side of the rectangle facing you. For large buns roll up the dough starting with the short side. Pinch the edges closed to seal.

4. Cut the buns into 1 to 1 1/2″ pieces and arrange them on the prepared topping. Cover the pans and let buns rise until doubled in bulk about 1 hour. You may let them rest overnight in the refrigerator and bake them in the morning.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

6. Turn the baked buns out of the pans onto serving plates immediately.