Cinnamon rolls are scrumptious. But these Cozy Sticky Buns are exquisite! There’s something decadent about the gooey, sticky glaze dripping down and through layers of cinnamon coated sweet bread. And, in all honesty, if you can make cinnamon rolls, adding a brown sugar, nut and bourbon-butter glaze in the bottom of a baking pan is the topping on the bun! (Pun intended!).
What sets these buns apart from other sticky versions is the addition of cinnamon baking bits. Cinnamon chips can be purchased at your local mega-mart, or online at Amazon or King Arthur Flour. But for the cost, it’s much cheaper and quite easy to make the same product at home. Check out my recipe for Homemade Cinnamon Bits. I use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup in the filling mixture. You can leave these out entirely, or add more. The bits give an extra burst of cinnamon in every bite.
Cozy Sticky Buns take some planning, however. But if you’re snowed/iced in like we are right about now, time isn’t a big deal. Just be prepared to make a basic flour-yeast-water starter about 12 hours before you want to build the bun dough. The starter gives extra flavor and rise to the sweet bread, and offsets the heaviness of the nutty brown-sugar topping. Your pre-planning will be magnificently rewarded! Enjoy!
If you’re interested in other rolled cinnamon goodies, check out my recipes for:
Cozy Sticky Buns
Oooey, gooey, and oh so cinnamony! The rich brown sugar and nut topping takes this otherwise outstanding cinnamon roll to a decadent level. Cozy Stick Buns are a perfect brunch treat on wintry weekends.
- Prep Time: About 16 Hours
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: About 16-18 Hours
- Yield: 12 Sticky Buns 1x
Ingredients
For the Starter:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. + 2 T. water
1/16 tsp. (or a pinch) instant yeast
For the Dough:
1–1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. nonfat dried milk
2 T. potato starch or potato flour
3 tsp. vanilla
1–1/2 tsp. salt (table, kosher or sea)
2–1/4 tsp. instant yeast
6 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Filling:
1 c. granulated sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon
1/2–3/4 c. Cinnamon Baking Bits (optional)
For the Glaze:
1/2 c. light corn syrup
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 T. bourbon (optional)
1 c. light. brown sugar, packed
1 c. diced pecans or walnuts
Instructions
To Make the Starter:
In a. medium-sized bowl, combine flour, water and instant yeast. Mix. until a smooth dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight, or 12-16 hours.
To Make the Dough:
In a large bowl, combine starter and all dough ingredients. Stir by hand to make a soft, smooth dough. Ideally use a standing mixer with the dough hook attachment. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and a tea towel. .Let rise for an hour in a warm location or until dough becomes puffy. It won’t double in size.
To Make the Filling:
In a medium-size bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and Cinnamon Baking Bits (if using). Set aside.
To Make the Glaze:
While the dough is rising, spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan generously with nonstick spray. Sprinkle brown sugar and nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan. In another bowl, mix the corn syrup, butter and bourbon (if using). Drizzle over brown sugar and nuts in pan. Briefly stir together in pan to combine evenly. Set aside.
To Assemble the Buns:
Lightly punch dough down and roll out to a 14 x 20-inch rectangle on a slightly greased workspace. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch strip along a long edge. Roll the dough up into a long log starting with the opposite longest edge. Pinch the edge of the dough into the log. Using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut the dough into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces. Place each piece, cut side-down, into the prepared pan. Leave about 1/2-inch in between each roll. Cover the rolls loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap. Place in a warm area to rise until puffy, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
While buns are rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake buns for 25-30 minutes. Finished buns will be golden brown. You may need to place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan during the last 5-10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.
To serve, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, foil or wax paper. Invert baking pan onto the lined baking sheet. Be careful as the sugar glaze will be hot. This will ensure glaze covers all of the buns. Be sure to scrape any nutty glaze left in the pan. Remove pan and serve buns warm or at room temperature. Sticky buns will keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or until they’re gone!
IMNPB
Recommended To You
