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Chef John's Sweet Sticky Buns

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PREP TIME
30 min
COOKING TIME
35 min
TOTAL TIME
185 min
SERVINGS
12 servings
Breakfast Brunch Dessert
Chef John's Sweet Sticky Buns
Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 2/3 cup warm milk
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
1
Combine warm water and milk in a mixing bowl, then sprinkle yeast over the mixture. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes until frothy.
2
Add sugar, egg, and melted butter to the yeast mixture, then combine with 75% of the flour and a pinch of salt. Mix until a soft and sticky dough forms, adding more flour as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Knead the dough in a mixer for 5 minutes before covering and letting it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
3
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan generously with butter.
4
Combine brown sugar, white sugar, salt, melted butter, and water in a bowl for the topping. Mix until smooth and even. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to cover the bottom. Sprinkle pecans over the top of the mixture, setting it aside until needed.
5
Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl for the filling; mix until well combined. Set it aside until needed.
6
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to press and stretch it into an 18x15-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border along the edges. Use your hands to press the sugar mixture into the dough, making sure it's evenly distributed.
7
Roll the dough into a cylinder using your hands, starting with the edge closest to you. Try not to roll too tightly as you shape the cylinder; aim for a uniform shape, seam-side down. Lightly score the roll with a knife to indicate 12 equal portions.
8
Slide a piece of string or floss under the dough, lining it up at the first knife mark. Cross the ends of the string over the top and pull in opposite directions to cut through the dough, repeating with the remaining dough.
9
Transfer the buns into the pan with the topping, arranging them in 3 rows of 4 buns. If one side of a bun has more dough than another, place it with the doughier side up in the pan. Tent the pan loosely with foil and let rise until the buns have almost doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
10
Bake the buns in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a bun reaches 200 degrees F (93 degrees C), approximately 35 minutes. If the tops are getting too browned, loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking time.
11
Remove the buns from the oven onto a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully turn the pan over onto a serving platter, using a spoon to transfer any sticky topping that has remained in the pan. Let the buns cool and serve warm or at room temperature.