Pecan Sticky Buns
These impressive pecan sticky buns use sweet biscuit dough, which is easier to work with and takes much less time to prepare.
This dough is interesting because unlike most breakfast rolls, it’s not a yeast dough. Instead, it’s a sweet biscuit dough, which is easier to work with and takes much less time to prepare. Treat it as you would any biscuit dough: with a light hand and minimal kneading. For something a little different, try substituting cardamom or cloves for the cinnamon, or adding orange, lemon, or lime zest to the filling.
Yield:
12 bunsFor the dough:
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Press the chilled butter into the mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the results look like coarse cornmeal. Add the milk and egg, and mix with your hands until just combined. Sprinkle the countertop with flour, then turn out the dough. Knead gently five or six times to just combine. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a little more than ¼-inch thickness, dusting with flour as needed.
For the filling:
Ingredients
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Now, make the filling: Brush the dough with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Carefully roll up the dough into a log and cut into 12 pieces.
For the topping:
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Lightly butter a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. To make the topping, combine the rest of the melted butter and sugar, and stir until well incorporated. Spread the mixture onto the bottom of a baking pan and sprinkle with pecans. Place the dough, cut sides facing up, and dab a little butter on top with a pastry brush. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the insides are just cooked and the tops are golden brown. Invert onto a platter or cutting board, and serve warm or at room temperature.
