Early fall mornings on the lake are so peaceful and calming – watching the morning fog dissipate off the water, with the tree line and islands breaking through the mist and coming into focus. I really need to spend more time at the lake, waking a little bit earlier to enjoy these peaceful moments.

One of my favourite cottage treats in the mornings are warm sticky buns fresh from the oven. But it’s rare that I can bring myself to wake early enough to get my dough prepared and rising, rolled, and baked before everyone in the house is up and ready for breakfast. I always enjoy the process of kneading dough and making fresh bread but that’s only when I’m not on a timeline and have hungry, eager family members watching and waiting.

That’s why I love this recipe so much!! I get to take my time the night before – kneading the dough, mixing the cinnamon and sugar, melting the butter and putting together the sticky buns. Then all I have to do is put the prepared sticky buns in the fridge overnight – ready to pop in the oven first thing in the morning to bake. Now I can wake early, enjoy a cup of tea and watch the fog leave the lake. All while my sticky buns are baking in the oven ready to enjoy when everyone wakes!

There’s nothing better than a rich, buttery, soft bread; doused in a cinnamony sticky mess, and covered in walnuts as a special treat first thing in the morning.

Overnight Sticky Buns

Print Recipe

These overnight sticky buns you can bake fresh in the morning, just follow the recipe the night before to have hot out of the oven buns. They are rich, buttery, with a soft bread, then doused in a cinnamony sticky mess with walnuts.

Author: Alie Romano
Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 4 hours 30 mins
Yield: 15 buns 1x
Category: Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon (divided)
1/2 cup full milk, scalded
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

3/4 cups lightly packed brown sugar, plus 3/4 cups lightly packed brown sugar, divided
3/4 cup butter (melted), plus 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (or pecans), divided
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a small bowl add active dry yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let rest for approx. 5-10 minutes until yeast has dissolved and is frothy.
Meanwhile, scald milk. In a pot bring milk nearly to a boil and then cool down. In a large bowl mix scalded milk, the rest of the sugar, melted butter, salt and egg together (make sure your milk and butter has come down to room temperature before adding to the milk or your egg will become scrambled).
Once yeast is frothy add milk mixture and stir together.
Add flour and salt. Kenead dough on a lightly floured surface for approx. 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, approx. 1 to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make your filling. In a saucepan on medium to low heat melt 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup butter together. Pour into a large baking dish – 9″ x 12″ and sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts over the top. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch down. Roll out on your work surface into approx. 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 cup of butter all over the dough. Mix the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the buttered dough. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts.
Beginning at the long end (15-inch side), roll up the dough tightly and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 1″ thick slices. approx. 12 to 15 slices. Place the slices in your prepared baking dish on top of the butter and sugar.
Cover with plastic wrap and let buns rise for 30 minutes. Place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning pull out sticky buns from the fridge, preheat the oven to 375˚F. Remove plastic wrap and bake in the center of the oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until browned and when the dough is tapped it sounds hollow.
Let sticky buns rest in the dish for 3-5 minutes. Carefully invert onto serving platter, scraping off any remaining filling in the dish to drizzle over buns.
Serve warm.