Yeast Rolls, Part 2: Sticky Buns & Cinnamon Buns

The yeast roll post was a bit lengthy, so this will be short and sweet, ahem. To make sticky buns or cinnamon buns out of Rebecca Rather's yeast rolls, you make a simple brown sugar goo with toasted pecans and place it in the bottom of your muffin cups. Pop the rolls on top, let it rise one last time, bake 'em and happiness will follow.

You can make them as Ms. Rather does with brown sugar syrup and pecans for sticky buns. Or as I prefer, with a little cinnamon. Your choice. Would probably be quite good with cardamom too.

I gave a batch of these ready to bake to some friends this week and got rave reviews. I think you'll like them too. Don't blame me if you get hooked.



Sticky or Cinnamon Buns

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Lyle's golden syrup
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
dough for yeast rolls (see previous post)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine butter, brown sugar, syrup, salt, and cinnamon, if using, in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter and sugar melt and turn bubbly.

Grease regular size muffin pan.

Place 2 tablespoons of the syrup in each cup and sprinkle with pecans. (You'll have some syrup left over to drizzle over the tops before serving.)

Cut off pieces of the yeast roll dough (after it's overnight rise), the size of golf balls. Place in muffin cups.

At this point, you can freeze the dough. Assemble them in giveaway aluminum 6-pack muffin pans, wrap tightly with foil, and then in an airtight freezer bag. To bake, remove from freezer, unwrap, let thaw and then follow the directions below. Give these away and you'll make friends (and addicts).

Let rise on stovetop until they are 1-inch above the muffin pan, approximately 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Bake 12 minutes until golden on top. Remove from oven and immediately (really) turn out onto platter. (If you let it cool, the syrup turns into lava and you'll never get those babies out. But be careful, like lava, it is HOT!)

Drizzle more syrup over each bun before serving. Best served same day.

These are so good, you'll jump up and clap your hands!

Makes 2 dozen sticky buns.

Adapted from The Pastry Queen Christmas by Rebecca Rather with Alison Oresman.

Next up: Using the yeast roll dough to make orange rolls.