Honey Buns

A honey bun is kind of like a thinner, lighter cinnamon roll with a honey glaze and I promise the homemade ones are better than the ones you remember from your childhood.

These are sweet, pillowy, and they have the perfect honey glaze in ever nook. Bread baking is an especially satisfying process, and this is no different. They are easy to make, perfect for a cozy fall day, and really, really delicious. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Homemade Honey Buns

This recipe uses really simple ingredients and it comes together really easily, especially if you have a stand mixer. We’re starting off by mixing together the milk, some brown sugar and honey, and some active dry yeast and letting that sit and become foamy.

This recipe also uses a flour paste, so you’ll want to cook that up and give it some time to cool down a bit before you make the dough. Next up, we’re just loosely stirring together some softened butter, the yeast mixture, and an egg before adding in the flour, salt, and the thick flour paste.

Once everything has been added, you want to knead the dough together thoroughly until it becomes fairly smooth and stretchy. You can see below what it looks like when everything is just mixed together, and then what it looks like when it’s been fully kneaded.

Then you want to let the dough rise- I recommend taking a picture of your dough beforehand so you can compare what it looks like after rising. Since this dough is enriched, it may take a little longer to rise than other doughs without the additional fat and eggs.

Once your dough has risen, it’s time to roll it out and fill it. I’m using a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar here sprinkled on top of butter- it’s similar to a cinnamon roll filling but without the brown sugar, making the filling a little bit lighter.

Roll the dough into a log, and slice it into 12 relatively even rolls. You want to place the rolls onto your baking sheet and then press them down gently to flatten them into a wide disc like you see in the photos. Cover the dough and let it rest while you preheat your oven.

Then bake up the rolls until they are lightly golden brown. Let them cool slightly before adding the glaze- a simple mixture of powdered sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. The mixture should be thick but drizzle-able.

Enjoy the honey buns warm or cover and save them to enjoy throughout the week!

Tips & Tricks for the Perfect Honey Buns

Here are my tips to help along the way:

• Do I have to use the cooked flour paste? Yes, it helps create soft, pillowy dough that will retain it’s texture. You want to cook the flour and milk until very thick and then let it cool down for a few minutes before making the dough.
• Do I have to use butter and egg in this recipe? This recipe was developed with the additional ingredients in mind, so I would not recommend swapping them out. They help to create a flavorful, soft dough that works well for these buns.
• Do I need to use the honey glaze? The glaze really brings home the honey flavor, and it’s the perfect addition to these buns. They can be enjoyed without the glaze if you prefer though.
• How do I know when the dough is finished rising? The dough should rise until it’s almost doubled in size, and the dough bounces back if you poke it.
• Do I need to let the dough rest before baking? Yes, this is the second proof, though it’s a very short one for these buns. You can simply let them rest for about 20 minutes while you preheat your oven, or until they have just slightly puffed.
• Do I have to flatten the rolls? Flattening the rolls before the final resting period helps create a wider, flatter bun in the end that more resembles a classic honey bun, so I recommend it!
• My rolls got a little messy when I sliced them, how can I fix this? You can slightly unroll and fix each roll individually if needed, and you can optionally tuck the end of each roll underneath to avoid any unraveling as they bake. This isn’t necessary though and they will taste great either way!
• How can I store the honey buns and how long will they last? You can store the cooled buns in an air-tight container for 5-7 days at room temperature, or you can optionally freeze the buns for up to 2 months by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and freezing.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

Honey Buns

Servings 12 buns

Ingredients

For the rolls:

• 3/4 cup whole milk plus 3 tbs separated
• 3 tbs. brown sugar
• 2 tbs. honey
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 3-4 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tbs separated
• 1 tsp. salt

For the filing:

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tbs. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-2 tbs. water

Instructions

For the rolls:

1. In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, cook together 3 tablespoons milk with 2 tablespoons of flour, whisking constantly, until a thick paste forms. Remove and cool completely. In a microwave safe bowl, heat together the remaining 3/4 cup whole milk with the brown sugar and honey until it is about 110 degrees, or warm to the touch. Stir in the yeast, and set aside until puffy and bloomed.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together the egg and softened butter, and then stir in the bloomed yeast mixture. Then add in 3 cups flour, the cooled flour paste, and the salt, and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead the dough with the dough hook for about 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth. It should be still a little tacky, and may stick to the bottom of your bowl slightly while kneading. Avoid adding too much flour, but you can add a bit more if it’s just globbing entirely on the bottom of the bowl.
4. Scrape the dough into a ball, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 30-45 minutes, or until it has almost doubled in size.

For the filling:

1. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Roll out the risen dough into a large rectangle. It should be about 12-14 inches long. Spread the butter evenly over the entire dough, and sprinkle all of the sugar mixture on top. Use your rolling pin to gently press the mixture into the dough, and roll the dough into a tight log length-wise.
2. Slice the ends of the log off, and then slice the log into 12 even rolls. The dough is soft to work with, so you may find the rolls get a little messy or unraveled, but you can re-roll them individually if needed. Place into your prepared baking pan and press each roll down into a disc shape. Cover with plastic wrap to let them rise for about 20 minutes, or until puffed.
3. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the risen rolls for about 18-20 minutes, or until they are light golden brown on top.

For the glaze:

1. Whisk together the honey, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until combined and thick. Whisk in 1 tbs. of water. The glaze should be thick but drizzle-able at this stage. If it’s too thick, add a little extra water until you’ve reached the right consistency. Generously glaze the tops of each bun while they are still warm and enjoy!

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!