Holiday Morning Sticky Buns
Growing up, our Christmas morning tradition was always marked by my grandmother’s sticky buns. After opening presents, we’d head to her house for breakfast, where the smell of caramelized sugar and cinnamon filled the air. As the years went on and my grandmother grew older, the tradition—and the responsibility of making those beloved sticky buns—was passed down to me. It’s one of my favorite ways to keep her memory and that sense of family warmth alive each year.
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Dough:
1/4 Cup Warm water (105∞ to 115∞)
1 (1/4-ounce) Package active dry yeast, or 40 grams of Fresh Yeast
1/3 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Milk
4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
3 Each Large egg yolks
1 Tablespoon Finely grated orange zest
1 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
4 -4 1/4 Cups All-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Filling:
3 Tablespoons Melted butter
1/2 Cup Packed brown sugar
1-1/2 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/2 Cups Pecans, chopped
Topping:
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
Method
Step 1: Make the dough. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine warm water, yeast and 1 tsp. sugar. Stir to dissolve and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add milk, butter, remaining sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, salt and 3 cups flour. Mix on low speed until blended. Switch to a dough hook and then, again on low speed, slowly incorporate the remaining 1 cup of flour. Increase speed to medium, kneading dough until smooth and slightly sticky (adding a little more flour if too wet), 3 to 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large, buttered bowl. Turn dough over in bowl to coat with the butter from the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour (or 2 hours if not in an entirely warm place).
Step 3: After the dough has risen, punch down. Turn out onto a lightly floured cutting board and roll out into a 12" x 18" rectangle, let sit 20 minutes.
Step 4: Prepare topping: Combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook 2 minutes, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Pour evenly into the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.
Step 5: Roll dough back out into a 12" x 18" rectangle, if it has shrunk. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with filling mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle with chopped Pecans. Roll dough tightly into a cylinder starting from long side, jellyroll style. Place seam side down on a flat surface and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Arrange rolls, cut-side down, in pan. Cover gently with plastic wrap and let buns rise in for 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 6: Bake in a preheated 375 oven, 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown. With cookie sheet or platter against baking pan, turn upside down. Cool slightly and serve warm.