Sticky Buns
Like cinnamon rolls, but instead of frosting there is caramel!
Ingredients
- 6-7 cups flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons yeast, active dry
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon dough enhancer optional
Caramel Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup pecans, chopped or 2 cups for both dishes, or no nuts at all
Filling
- ¼ cup butter, soft
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer measure in - 2 cups of the flour, ½ cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 Tablespoons of yeast. Use a whisk gently sift and blend the dry ingredients.
- In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, melt ½ cup butter (one stick), in the microwave. Carefully pour in 1 cup water and 1 cup milk. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds at a time till the temp is very warm, but not too hot. I test it by dipping the tip of my finger in. You want it to be the temp of a hot bath. If it burns, stick it in the fridge for a bit to cool or it will kill the yeast.
- Slowly pour the liquid into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Put the bowl on the mixer with a dough hook attachment. Turn on to a level 2. Mix for a couple minutes.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the sides. Add the egg. Turn the mixer back on. Once the egg is well mixed in, turn the mixer off.
- Add in 4-5 cups of flour and 1 Tablespoon of dough enhancer (dough enhancer optional). Turn the mixer, and run it till the dough is not sticky, and it holds together well not sticking to the edge of the bowl.
- Lightly spray a large mixing bowl with olive or canola oil. Form the dough into a large, smooth ball. Roll the ball around till the surface is all lightly coated with the oil. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Keep in a dry, warm place till doubled in size. About 45 minutes.
Caramel Topping
- While the dough is rising prep two 9x13 glass dishes by lightly spraying with oil.
- Mix together 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup soft butter and ¼ cup corn syrup.
- Separate in half. Put ½ in each 9x13 dish. Spread and smooth the sugar mix with a large rubber spatula till it coats the bottom and sides of each dish.
- We always leave one dish plain, and one with chopped pecans. Chop one cup of pecans, and evenly sprinkle over the bottom of one dish, over the butter spread.
Finishing up
- Punch the dough down. On a light floured surface, knead the dough for a minute or two. Cut the dough in half.
- Roll out the first half. Spread a couple Tablespoons of soft butter over the dough.
- Mix together 1 cup brown sugar with 2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle half of it over the buttered dough.
- Roll up the dough, starting from one of the long sides.
- Gently cut the rolled-up log into 1½-2-inch slices. I use a serrated knife so a gentle sawing motion doesn't smoosh down on the dough. Cut 12-13 pieces. Place into one of the 9x13 dishes in rows of 3x4.
- Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Place the two dishes with the rolls in, next to each other. I set them on the oven while it preheats to 350°. Cover them as they rise to keep them from drying out. Let the sit for about 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
- While they bake prep two large cookie sheets by covering them with foil.
- When the rolls come out, let them sit for about 5 minutes. BE CAREFUL NOT to wait too long or the caramel will cool and harden.
- Place a cookie sheet face down over one of the dishes of rolls. Use hot pads over the top, to grab on, and grab the 9x13 dish underneath, then flip over. Now the 9x13 dish should be upside down on top of the cookie sheet, dumping the caramel covered rolls onto the foil.
- In one hand use a fork, and the other hand a hot pad. Use the hot pad to keep the sheet from sliding, and the fork to get underneath the edge of the 9x13 dish to lift it up without burning your hand. Use a rubber scraper to get all the caramel and nuts out of the bottom and spread over the warm rolls.
- EASY TO REHEAT - because these are best when warm! Pop one or two in the microwave for 15 seconds. OR cover the rolls on the cookie sheet with foil, and pop in the oven at 350° for 5-10 minutes.