Salted Caramel Sticky Buns

An extra special batch of sticky buns that you are sure to love! This classic recipe was elevated to a new world of delicious by adding a layer of homemade salted caramel sauce (or try Smucker’s Simple Delight Salted Caramel Topping). Add a sprinkle of toasted nuts if you like a little crunch. From bakerbynature.com.

Salted Caramel Sticky Buns


Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
(1) 0.25 oz package rapid rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (if tolerated)
1 large egg, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft

For the salted caramel: (or try Smucker’s Simple Delight Salted Caramel Topping)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream

For the filling:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (if tolerated)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cream cheese frosting:
8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese, very soft
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Toppings:
1 cup toasted nuts, chopped
Extra salted caramel sauce, for drizzling


Directions:

1. The sticky bun dough is made with flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, water, egg, butter, vanilla, and a pinch of nutmeg. Simple ingredients! You will bring the dough together in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. This will take about 10 minutes, but luckily the mixer does most of the work for you. The dough will be sticky, smooth, and shiny. You’ll want to lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough into it, cover it tightly with saran wrap, and set it in a warm place for two hours. The dough will rise a lot during this time!

2. While the dough is rising, make your caramel sauce. The sauce is made from butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and cream. You’ll boil these ingredients together for 5-6 minutes, then pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan. For best results, I recommend using a candy thermometer.

3. The filling is made from melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. You’ll combine the sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl, brush the melted butter over the rolled out dough, then sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top. At this point you’ll tightly roll the dough up (jellyroll style) and slice it into 12 slices.

4. For the frosting you’ll need cream cheese, vanilla, cream, salt, and confectioners sugar. You’ll want your cream cheese very, very soft. After you beat the cream cheese smooth, you add in the vanilla, cream, salt, and sugar and beat until fluffy.

5. When you pull the buns out of the oven you’re going to need some self control. The buns must (must must must) cool in the pan for 10 minutes before you invert them from the pan onto a large platter. The caramel sauce will be dangerously hot so be careful during this step. Make sure you only cool the buns in the pan for 10 minutes. Any longer and the caramel will begin to stick, making it very difficult to remove the buns.