As a passionate home baker, I have always enjoyed making bread at home. Every time we are baking it is a great opportunity to try out a new recipe.
Cinnamon rolls are a favorite in our home, the sweet tooths enjoyed the sugar and cinnamon nestled in the buns!
The Amish Sticky Buns are like cousins to the cinnamon rolls. Once in a while, we decide to ‘upgrade’ our cinnamon rolls by baking them with gooey caramel and nuts.
The Amish Sticky buns are baked on a bed of caramel and nuts just like pineapple upside-down cake. You will absolutely enjoy your effort and the waiting time.
These yeast buns stand out in the family of yeast bread. I did not know how famous they were until I visited my aunt who lives in South Florida.
Knaus Berry Farm
My auntie was excited to show her nieces around her town and ensure that we experienced everything special in her town. After touring the beach, she promised to calm our rumbling stomachs.
As a local, she knew how to be among the first in the long queue for the famous Amish Sticky Buns sold at the Knaus Berry Farm.
If you ever set foot in South Florida, do not fail to try those sticky delights. You will surely get hooked. It is the fear of calories that restrained me from buying more of the Amish Sticky Buns from Knaus berry farm.
The farm has a bakery that was established 60 years ago. The bakery has machinery and equipment that enable them to churn out hundreds of delicious sticky buns daily to meet the great demand.
People just love them. If I could only make my own homemade Amish Sticky Buns …
Amish Pretzels Recipe. Click to Read.
Why this recipe stands out
The Amish are known for the culinary heritage they brought from Europe. They have handed down their traditional family recipes from mother to daughter and they keep perfecting their skills.
This religious group of people is known to meet every Sunday and share a meal after every service. The women clean up, cook and bake in preparation for this day. These buns are very famous in any bakery in Lancaster County or in any Amish community.
I found this recipe in my recipe book collection and am glad I did. Any avid home baker will not fail to have a few Amish and Mennonite cookbooks.
Most of their recipes call for ingredients that are already in your pantry. Let us explore the ingredients in detail, this simple recipe and tips at the end, are all you need to make your homemade Amish Sticky Buns.
Also, check out: Amish Pumpkin Custard Pie
Ingredients and Substitutions
Dough
All-purpose flour
All-purpose flour is the major part of Amish sticky buns. This flour produces soft sticky buns as it is low in protein.
You could substitute half of the white flour with whole wheat if you are keen on adding fiber to your buns. That is the beautiful fact of making them buns at home.
White Sugar
White sugar sweetens the dough. The amount of sugar added makes it a sweet delicious dough yet not sweetening the dough too.
Some of the white sugar is mixed with a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg spices and then used to spread inside the Amish Sticky Buns.
Butter
Butter adds a sweet aroma and moisturizes the dough too. You could substitute butter with shortening.
Milk
Milk enriches the dough making it softer too. Milk in Amish Sticky Buns enhances the overall flavor.
Warm water
Warm water hydrates the dough, contributing to the moisture in the dough.
Egg
Eggs emulsify the dough and are responsible for its smooth texture.
Yeast
Active dry yeast is the leavening agent in the Amish sticky bun dough. Yeast adds a distinct flavor to the sticky buns as compared to other leavening agents such as baking powder or soda.
Salt
Good old salt balances with the sweet flavors beautifully, making them ‘pop’ out. Please do not forget to add salt. Yeast bread without salt tastes a little blunt.
Sticky syrup/ Caramel
Butter
Butter is rich in fats and adds a sweet milky flavor to the syrup.
Brown sugar
Sweetens the syrup, gives it a golden brown color, and adds the delicious molasses flavor.
Light corn syrup
Light corn syrup is a very sticky substance that you can purchase in the baking section at your grocery store. This attribute contributes to the gooey nature of the caramel.
Chopped pecans and walnuts
Chopped nuts are a great addition to the Amish Sticky Buns. Pecans have a nutty and woody flavor enhancing the deliciousness of the buns. Walnuts have an almost bitter but blunt taste balancing with sugars in the buns.
Raisins
It is completely optional to add raisins but if you have some in your pantry, you could sprinkle some on top of the cinnamon sugar before rolling the dough into a log. Raisins have a sweet fruity taste, a lovely surprise for your taste buds.
EQUIPMENT
Stand mixer
I truly admire the Amish women who can mix huge amounts of dough without an electric appliance. They make bread for their large families and church gatherings, honestly, their strength is remarkable. This appliance will make the process of kneading a lot easier.
Mixing bowls
Mixing bowls will be used in proofing the yeast.
Rubber spatula
Rubber spatulas are great for scraping off the side of the bowl.
Heavy based, medium sized saucepan
You need this for preparing the caramel sauce.
Ruler
Measures out same-sized slices.
Bench scraper
This little tool is important when dividing the dough, before rolling it into rectangles.
Rolling pin
A rolling pin is used to spread the dough into a rectangle.
Baking dishes
A rectangular glass baking dish is a popular choice for sticky buns however round aluminum pans still work fine.
FAQ AMISH STICKY BUNS
What makes the Amish Sticky buns sticky?
The gooey caramel sauce poured into the bottom of the pan and the cinnamon sugar rolled into the dough make the Amish Sticky buns sticky.
How can I make soft Amish Sticky buns?
The trick is to knead a little longer. Your dough should be stretchy and not break when pulled apart. Keep testing your dough to see if it is stretching sufficiently.
How do I store my Amish Sticky Buns?
Amish Sticky Buns can stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for two days. However, if kept in the refrigerator, their freshness is prolonged to about 5 days. I have never had to freeze the sticky delights because someone will always come back for more.
Chocolate Amish Whoopie Pies Recipe : Click to Read.
PRO TIPS
- Use a ruler to measure and a sharp knife or clean thread to cut out the same size of sticky buns. Eyeballing is alright but this might result in buns of uneven lengths.
- Ensure to practice ‘scoop and level’ when measuring your flour. Any excess flour will make your Amish Sticky Buns crumbly and sort of dry.
- Use an aluminum steel pan for a shorter baking time.
- Ensure the yeast you are using is fresh. You could carry out a test by mixing a teaspoon of yeast in a cup of warm water and sugar ( a teaspoon). Set aside, it should form bubbles if the yeast is fresh.
- Do not let the yeast touch the salt. Salt will kill the yeast and your Amish Sticky buns will not rise.
- Be careful not to use hot water, hot water kills yeast, you know.
Note:
You can keep the Amish Sticky Buns unbaked in the refrigerator overnight. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. The next day, remove the buns from the fridge and let them rise for about 30 minutes then bake them.
Unlike cinnamon rolls that are usually frosted with cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar glaze, these Amish Sticky Buns have a sweet caramel topping and glazed pecans.
Every Christmas morning my children are woken up by the delicious smell of baking Amish Sticky Buns that wafts through the entire house. It is a beautiful, sweet tradition.
RECIPE CARD
AMISH STICKY BUNS
Ingredients
- 5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon Yeast
- 6 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Milk
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Warm water
Caramel Sauce
- ⅔ cup Brown sugar
- cup Corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons Butter
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Measure the ingredients and set aside. In a stand mixer mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, and yeast. Whisk thoroughly. Add the salt and mix.
- Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Create a hole or well in the middle of the flour mixture.
- Check the temperature of the milk and melted butter, it should be lukewarm like baby bath water or 105 F. Pour into the well and put on the stand mixer.
- Add the beaten egg and keep mixing. Let the stand mixer knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
- A soft stretchy dough should form sticking slightly on the bottom of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the dough over into a greased bowl and cover the top of the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Set aside in a warm area in your kitchen. It should take about 1 hour for the first rise.
- When the dough has risen to twice the size, turn it over to a clean, lightly floured surface.
- Punch down the dough to release the gas. Divide the dough into two portions weighing the same.
- Let the two portions relax for about 5 minutes.
- Lightly flour your work surface, and roll out the dough into a rectangular-shaped baking dish.
- Spread butter on the top of the dough from one end to another.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over the top of the rectangular dough. If you have raisins, sprinkle them too.
- Roll the dough tightly in a jelly-form fashion placing the seam at the bottom. Set aside and work on the second dough.
- Measure your desired size (3.5 inch slices)of the buns and mark them on the log. Using a sharp knife or clean thread cut out the sticky buns.
- Pour the caramel syrup on the bottom of a glass rectangular and sprinkle chop nuts on top of the caramel.
- Arrange the cut-out buns on top of the caramel syrup. Cover the baking dish with a damp, clean kitchen towel. Set the Amish Sticky Buns in a warm place in your kitchen for the second rise.
- You will notice a change in size after one hour. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Bake the Amish Sticky buns for 20 to 45 minutes until they attain a beautiful golden brown hue.
- Get them from the oven and place them on a wire cooling rack. One by one the delightful sticky buns will begin to disappear! They are absolutely delicious.
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