No need to envy the glossy sticky buns you see in the pastry case; make eight of your own at once with this recipe. It's a classic for a reason, but neither yeast nor kneading is needed here.
Biscuit Sticky Buns
Chef Madeline Rundella
8 buns
45 minutes
45 minutes
American
Breakfast/Brunch
No pecans? No problem! If you've got everything else but that specific nut, you can substitute with walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.
Ingredients
For the Biscuit Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour + more for dusting
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces + more for greasing
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, cold (or 6 tbsp buttermilk powder)
For the Filling:
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
For the Topping:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Pinch sea salt
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
Tools:
- Pastry Blender
- 9x13” Baking Dish
- Pastry Scraper
- Rolling Pin
- Serving Platter
Directions
For the Dough:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13” baking dish.
- Using a dough cutter, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk powder (if using) in a large bowl.
- Cut in the butter using a butter knife or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk (or 1 ½ cups cold water if using powder) and gently mix until it just begins to come together.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 16x12” rectangle, about ¼” thick. Position the dough so the short side is facing you.
For the Filling:
- Combine the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the surface of the dough with the softened butter. Spread the mixture evenly over the butter, leaving a ½” border.
- Spread the chopped pecans over the sugar mixture. Fold ¼” of the short side in. Roll the dough up tightly into a log, starting on the shorter side.
- Using your hands to apply pressure, roll the log back and forth a few times to seal the dough. Slice ¼” of dough off each side to even the ends, then cut the log into 8 equal pieces.
For the Topping:
- Combine the butter and ¼ cup water in a medium nonstick saucepan over high heat until butter is melted.
- Whisk in the brown sugar and cook until smooth and bubbly. Reduce the heat to low, whisk in the heavy cream and cook for 1 minute. Add the salt, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Pour the warm topping into your prepared (greased) baking dish. Scatter pecans evenly over the surface. Place the buns in the baking dish, cut-side down.
- Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 25-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking rack for 5 minutes. To serve, carefully invert onto a platter.