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4.59 from 271 votes
The Ultimate Sticky buns recipe - I have worked a very long time as a baker and hands down this is the best recipe I have ever tried.
Best Ever Sticky Buns (No Machine)
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 

Make my soft, caramel and pecan Best Ever Sticky Buns without a mixer and no-kneading required!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Gemma Stafford adapted from Zoe Francois
Ingredients
  • 1 cups (8oz / 240g) milk
  • 2 teaspoons Fast acting dried yeast or Instant yeast.
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup (2 ½ oz/75g) honey
  • ½ cup (4oz/115g) butter, melted
  • 3 ½ cups (18½ oz/525g) all-purpose flour

  • Caramel Topping and filling
  • ¾ cup (6oz/170g) butter, melted, plus more for sides of the pan
  • 1 ¼ cup (7 ½ oz/220g) brown sugar
  • cup (4oz/115g) honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (4 ½ oz/105g) chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a separate jug, mix together the milk, honey, butter. Pop in the microwave and gently heat for a few seconds until the mix is lukewarm and the butter is melting.
  3. Once the butter has melted quickly whisk in the eggs until combined. You want to make sure the mix isn’t hot otherwise the eggs will cook.
  4. Pour the wet into the dry and mix until it forms a dough and all the flour is mixed in. It only takes a minutes to mix the dough together.
  5. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises for a minimum of 4 hours. After the 4 hours you can place it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  6. For the filling: Mix together melted butter, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Set aside.
  7. Using a 9-inch cake pan, with a spatula spread half the caramel mixture evenly over the bottom and all over the sides Scatter the pecans over the caramel mixture and set aside.
  8. Dust your work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to a 1/8 -inch thick rectangle (around 20 inches long). As you roll out the dough, make sure there is enough flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface
  9. With the remaining caramel mixture evenly spread it over the rolled out dough leaving 1 inch around the edge of the dough without the filling.
  10. Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a log. Roll it over until its seam is underneath.
  11. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 2 ½ inch rolls (around 8/9 pieces). Arrange the rolls over the pecans in the prepared pan, so that the swirled cut edge is facing upward.
  12. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour. During this time they will rise up to meet the tin and becoming bubbly.
  13. Once proofed, place the rolls on a baking sheet covered with parchment, in case the caramel bubbles over.
  14. Preheat the oven to 350oF (180oC) and bake for roughly 40 minutes, or until golden brown and firm in the center.
  15. While still hot, run a thin spatula around the outer edge of the pan to release the caramel rolls, and invert immediately onto a serving dish. If you let them set too long they will stick to the pan and will be difficult to turn out. Enjoy warm!

Watch the Recipe Video!

Recipe Notes

Make the dough in advance and place in the fridge for up to 4 days.