Classic Sticky Buns

Three freshly made sticky buns covered in caramel sauce and one topped with chopped pecans.

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4.96 from 65 votes

This wonderfully indulgent recipe for a classic bun will have you never buying shop-bought again!

Detailed, photo-illustrated step-by-step instructions can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Sticky Buns, Sticky buns recipe

Prep Time 3 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 4

Servings buns

Calories 608

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup whole milk warmed to about 100°F (38°C)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
1½ tablespoons active dry or instant yeast 2 standard size packets*
8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
2 large eggs at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
4½ cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed
1 tablespoon oil canola, vegetable, or olive oil

For the filling:

4 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
⅓ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the topping:

½ cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar packed
½ cup golden syrup or maple syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream
½ cup chopped pecans optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Activate Yeast: Get a big bowl or use your mixer's bowl. Mix warm milk (heated to about 100°F or 38°C), 2 tablespoons of sugar, and yeast. Stir until it gets foamy on top, which takes around 5 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can do this by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula. It might take some effort, but it works. Avoid using a hand mixer because the sticky dough can get stuck in the beaters.
Add the remaining sugar, eggs, and salt: Start by adding the rest of the sugar (1/2 cup/100g) and the softened butter to the bowl. Mix them on medium until the butter looks a little broken up. Next, put in the eggs and salt and mix again on medium. The butter might not mix in all the way and stay in little bits, but that's okay.
Gradually Add Flour: Lower the mixer speed and slowly add all-purpose flour, one cup at a time. Make sure each cup mixes in before adding the next one. Sometimes, stop to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything mixes evenly. After adding the first 4 cups, add the remaining ½ cup and keep mixing until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This should take about 3 minutes. Your dough will be soft.
Knead the Dough: Keep the dough in the mixer (use the dough hook if you started with the paddle attachment) and knead it for another 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface for the same amount of time. If the dough gets too sticky while kneading, add 1 teaspoon of flour at a time until it becomes soft and a bit tacky. Be careful not to add too much flour; you don't want the dough to become dry. The dough should still feel somewhat soft after kneading. To check if it's ready, poke it with your finger; it should slowly bounce back. You can also do a "windowpane test" by stretching a small piece of dough until light passes through it without tearing.
First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Put the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size. Usually, it takes about 2 hours on the counter.
Prepare Baking Dish: Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch metal or glass baking dish.
Make the Sauce: While the dough is undergoing its first rise, take this time to prepare the sauce for the sticky buns. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the brown sugar and syrup. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and well combined. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the whipping cream. Remove from heat, add the cream, mix well to combine. Pour into the prepared pan and set aside to cool.
Roll Out the Dough: After the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. Place it on a floured work surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it out into a smooth 12x18-inch rectangle. Ensure the dough is even and doesn't shrink as you roll it. Cover it lightly. If it does, let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. This will make it easier to roll out.
Prepare the Filling: Spread melted butter evenly over the dough. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle this mixture evenly over the butter. Roll up the dough tightly into an 18-inch-long log. If some filling spills out, sprinkle it on top of the roll. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 equal rolls, each about 1.5 inches wide.
If you're using the pecans, scatter them evenly over the sauce in the pan. Then arrange these rolls in the in the sauce.
Second Rise: Cover the rolls tightly and let them rise until they get puffy, which should take about 1 hour. Alternatively, you can follow the overnight option mentioned in the recipe notes.
Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully flipping onto a serving tray and serve warm, sticky-side-up.

Notes

Overnight Sticky Buns

If you want to serve your sticky buns in the morning, you can prepare them the day before.

Just prepare the buns to the point of cutting the dough and putting them in the pan. Then cover them and place them in the fridge overnight.

The next morning, you can take the buns from the fridge and place them in a cold oven. Set the oven temperature and bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

By the time the oven gets to baking temperature, the buns will have risen the right amount.

Nutrition