Southern cooks are renowned for their kitchen prowess, and they certainly know how to whip up a luxurious breakfast. These rich, decadent sticky buns are a testament to that. They're crafted from a dough that's allowed to rise twice, resulting in an exceptionally fluffy texture. Topped with a luscious blend of pecans, butter, brown sugar, and honey, these sticky buns are irresistibly gooey and sweet, with the topping deliciously caramelizing as it seeps down the sides.
What's wonderful about this recipe is the convenience it offers. You can do all the prep work the night before and then bake the buns first thing in the morning. This way, you can enjoy fresh, warm sticky buns without the need to rise before the sun. Just pause the recipe at step 8, cover the prepped buns with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. On the morning of, pull the dough from the fridge about an hour before you plan to bake, to allow it to come to room temperature and undergo its second rise.
Southern Sticky Buns Recipe
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 cup milk, warmed to about 95°F
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 packets instant yeast
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
4 to 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Filling:
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Topping:
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup honey or maple syrup
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
Directions:
Begin with the dough. Mix milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and let it sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add butter and mix for about 30 seconds. Follow with the eggs, adding one at a time and mixing well after each. Mix in the salt.
Gradually add flour on low speed, mixing well with each addition. Increase the speed to medium, then to medium-high, kneading until a soft, supple dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead for a minute, then place in an oiled bowl. Cover and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
For the topping, melt brown sugar, butter, and honey or syrup in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Pour into your baking pan, and scatter pecans over it.
After the dough has risen, roll it out into a rectangle. Melt the butter for the filling and mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
Brush dough with melted butter, then sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mix. Roll up tightly from a long edge and slice into 12 buns.
Place the buns atop the topping in the baking dish, cover, and let rise for about 45 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 375°F towards the end of the rise time.
Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a platter.
Serve these warm, sticky buns and watch them disappear—Southern hospitality in every bite.