A visit with my Grandma Bunny was synonymous with baked treats. I don’t ever remember a visit where she didn’t have something either in the oven or fresh from the oven when we arrived. Even if she wasn’t hosting and she was the visitor, you could always count on her to bring something or she would bake something close after her arrival. Her sticky buns were one of my favorites, the maple goodness coupled with the fluffy bun were devoured so quickly that I forgot I didn’t care for nuts, which they have!
This baked good is one that everyone in my family seems to remember and yet no one knew exactly how to make after she passed. Developing this recipe was like piecing together a puzzle, our memory of my grandmother lives on in baked items like this. The dough recipe is from one of my favorite cinnamon bun recipes by Abby Dodge from The Weekend Baker. The filling and sticky bun portion was developed through various trials to recreate a favorite. Through Abby Dodge’s cinnamon bun recipe, I discovered the ease of making cinnamon buns the night before and can easily be baked the next morning! If you aren’t sure you can commit to having a pan of these sitting around in your kitchen, they can easily be frozen and enjoyed at a later date just like my Grandma Bunny would always do.
DOUGH
1 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3½ cups all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
FILLING
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
TOPPING
2 cups chopped pecans (whole pecan also work is preferred)
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon salt
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the 8 tablespoons butter. Keep stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the liquid registers about 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer; remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt and mix until blended.
- Check the temperature of the milk mixture, it should now register about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (make sure it’s no lower then 115 degrees for the yeast to grow).
- Fit the mixer with the dough hook and with the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture. With the mixer still running, add the egg and mix until the flour and egg are completely incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is smooth and begins to pulls away from the bottom of the bowl, about 5 minutes. If the dough begins to climb the hook, stop the mixer and scrape the dough back into the bowl.
- Scoop up the dough and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the bowl and put the dough back into it. Cover the top securely with plastic wrap (press and seal is very handy at a time like this!). Let the covered dough rise in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size, 45 to 55 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, make the topping. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the pecans in an even layer in the pan and set aside. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the balance of the topping ingredients (butter, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, milk and salt) and stir until the butter is melted. Bring to a boil and allow the mixture to boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour on top of the pecans. Set aside and return to the dough once it is risen.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and roll out the dough into a 12-by-17-inch rectangle; stretching the dough as necessary to get it into a rectangle. Melt the 8 tablespoons of butter and pour the melted butter into the center of the rectangle and spread evenly over the dough with a spatula. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup brown sugar evenly over the butter.
- Starting on a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. If necessary, pinch the long seam of the dough to the roll to seal. Position the roll, seam side down, on the work surface and cut into 12 slices (1 inch wide). Arrange the slices, cut side up, in the prepared pan on top of the pecan and syrup, forming 4 rows of 3 slices each.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake rolls for 35-40 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Using oven mitts, carefully invert the pan onto a large platter (expect the topping to melt down the sides once inverted). Serve warm or freeze portions for later use.
Note – to make overnight, prepare through step 8. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1-2 hours before continuing to step 9.
Freezing instructions – Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven.
Fresh from the oven before you flip!
The “sticky” on the other side
Baked Wishes, Laura 