Introduction: Sticky Buns

By supamoto
About: I like to make things for the internets. I also sell a pretty cool calendar at supamoto.co. You'll like it.

Sticky buns are a deliciously decadent way to start the day. If you have one of these you'll feel so good that the world will suddenly look as if it has a magical sheen over it. Life will be amazing and don't be surprised if everything starts going your way. It's not a new day, but a new adventure and this will get you there.

Or at least it'll taste really good and who cares about the rest, right?

Let's go.

Step 1: Get the Yeast Going

This recipe is a slightly modified version of this sticky bun recipe.
Dough

  • 1/4 cup warm water (105F to 115F)
  • 4 teaspoons dry yeast
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 1/4 cups (or more) all purpose flour
Glaze

  • 1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup dark simple syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
To begin with, mix 1/4 cup of the warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Let it sit until it's foamy, about 8 minutes.

Step 2: Start the Dough

In a new large bowl, mix in the rest of the sugar, butter, and salt until well blended.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Step 3: Dough!

Mix in 3/4 cup warm milk and yeast mixture.

Mix in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the last cup of flour.

Step 4: All You Knead

Throw down a small handful of flour onto the work surface and start kneading the dough. Keep working it until it becomes elastic. This should take about 8 minutes.

Step 5: Rise, My Creation, Rise!

When the dough is happy and elastic, toss it into a buttered bowl, flipping it once to cover it. Then cover it with plastic wrap.

The dough will rise over the course of about 2.5 hours. It will double in size so be sure that it has enough room for that.

Step 6: Dough! Part 2

So 2.5 hours have come and gone and your dough pillow has doubled in size. Excellent. Now punch it down and divide it into 2 pieces.

Each piece is going to be rolled out into a 12"x9" piece. Brush off any extra flour on top and spread 2 tbsp. of butter on each piece. This will take care of 1/4 cup of the butter.

Step 7: Get Dusted

Mix up the 4 tsp. sugar and 4 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle this evenly across both pieces of dough.

Step 8: Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

Tightly roll up the dough along the long side so that you have two 12" long rolls.

Slice up the rolls at one-inch intervals to get 12 pieces.

Now get ready to drop these into the glazed pans.

Step 9: Glaze

The glaze here comes after all the dough, but you could easily make it during the 2.5 hours you were waiting for the dough to rise. You even fit this in along with a movie. How cool is that?

Beat the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, honey, dark simple syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium bowl.

The dark simple syrup is made by using a little less than 1/4 cup of water, boiling it and adding brown sugar into it until it can't take any more.

Step 10: Get the Pan Ready

Butter two pans. I'm using two square pans here, but rounds and bundt pans also work great.

Split up the glaze between the two pans and pour it over the bottom, making sure it's even.

Lay down a layer of pecan halves and the bed is ready!

Step 11: Add the Buns

So now the glazed pans are ready to go and you can drop in the dough. Space them out evenly, cover with plastic wrap and wait another 1-1.5 hours for the dough to rise again. You can leave this on your counter or in the fridge.

I like to prep these at night and cook them up in the morning. So I just let the pans chill in there and fire up the oven when I wake up.

Step 12: It All Comes Together

Heat up your oven to 375F. When it's ready, toss these in for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pop 'em out with a knife, let them cool for another 30 minutes and eat!