Delicious, Gooey Maple Sticky Buns with a Bacon Twist
Let's whip up some sinfully scrumptious Bacon-Sugared Sticky Buns! These delectable treats are a mouthwatering marriage of sweet and savory, offering a delightful taste experience. Here's the lowdown on making these gratifying gooey buns.
Appliances: - 2 (8-inch) Round Cake Pans and Pastry Brush
Timeline: - Prepare dough and toast pecans 1 day in advance if desired.
Find these scrumptious buns as part of our "Crafting House-Smoked Bacon" project.
Serving size: - 12 buns
Difficulty: - Medium
Preparation Time: - 2 hours 20 minutes (plus rising time)
Components
Dough:- ½ cup Milk- ¼ cup Water- 1 packet Active Dry Yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)- 3 Eggs, room temperature- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar- 3/4 teaspoon Salt- 4 cups All-purpose Flour, plus additional for rolling dough- 5 tablespoons Butter, room temperature, plus additional for coating bowl
Topping:- 8 thick-cut Bacon slices- 12 tablespoons Butter (1 ½ sticks)- 1 ½ cups Light Brown Sugar- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream- 1/3 cup Maple Syrup- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Assembly:- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar- 2/3 cup Toasted and Coarsely Chopped Pecans
Directions
For the Dough:1. Grease a large bowl with butter and set aside. In a small heatproof bowl or measuring cup, warm milk and water together, reaching a temperature of 100°F to 115°F. Transfer this mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle yeast over top, and let it sit until it becomes frothy (approximately 5-10 minutes).2. Add eggs, sugar, and salt to the mixture, whisking until well combined.3. In the stand mixer bowl with the dough hook, add the measured flour. Mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated, and the dough comes together (about 1 minute).4. Increase the speed to medium high and add the measured butter, piece by piece, incorporating each piece before adding the next. Continue mixing until the butter is completely mixed in, and the dough is smooth, slightly sticky, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (approximately 10 minutes).5. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (approximately 90 minutes). Punch the dough down, re-cover, and let it rise again for 45-60 minutes (if making the next day, refrigerate and let it rise overnight).
For the Topping:1. Set the oven to 400°F, placing a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for catching any drips from the buns.2. Arrange bacon slices on the prepared baking sheet, and cook until crispy and browned (approximately 15-25 minutes).3. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, and drain excess fat into a small heatproof bowl. Using a pastry brush, grease the cake pans with the rendered bacon fat. Set aside the remaining bacon fat for later use.4. While the bacon cools, dice it into small cubes, and set aside.5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, and salt, whisking until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins bubbling (approximately 4 minutes).6. Divide the caramel mixture between the prepared pans. Sprinkle half of the diced bacon evenly into each pan. Set pans aside.
For Assembly:1. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and keep the rack in the middle. Place a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil on a lower rack to catch any drips while baking.2. On a lightly floured surface and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the risen dough into a 14x14-inch square.3. Brush the dough with the reserved bacon fat, followed by sprinkling light brown sugar and toasted pecans all over.4. Starting from the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a cylindrical shape, tucking the center in and under to ensure an even thickness. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll crosswise into 12 pieces.5. Place one roll, cut-side down, in the center of each prepared cake pan and evenly space 5 rolls around the center roll.6. Set the pans in a warm place uncovered and allow the rolls to rise until they touch the sides of the pan and each other (approximately 40 minutes).7. Place the pans in the oven on the middle rack and bake until the rolls are puffed and golden brown (about 35 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow pans to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.8. Place a serving plate over each of the pans and invert the rolls onto the plates. Remove the pans.9. Serve the sticky buns warm or at room temperature.
Pro Tips: - Stale bacon? No worries! Pre-cook the bacon and save it in the freezer for later use. - Looking for a sweeter sticky topping? Add ½ to ¾ cup more brown sugar to the topping mix. - Prefer a crunchier topping? Sprinkle ½ cup brown sugar on top of the buns before baking for added crunchiness.
Dive in and indulge in these delectable Bacon-Sugared Sticky Buns!
- Aside from being a part of our "Crafting House-Smoked Bacon" project, these buns also require 1/4 cup Maple syrup and 2/3 cup toasted and coarsely chopped pecans for the topping.
- The dough component includes 3/4 teaspoon Salt, 4 cups All-purpose Flour, and 5 tablespoons Butter, which contributes to the overall texture and taste of the buns.
- When assembling the buns, the dough is rolled out into a 14x14-inch square, brushed with reserved bacon fat, and sprinkled with 1 cup Light Brown Sugar and the toasted pecans before being sliced into 12 pieces.
- Once baked, the insanely delicious Bacon-Sugared Sticky Buns serve 12 and should be refrigerated if not consumed immediately.
