Sometimes you need a little treat. And if you’re me, sometimes is most times, and the treat can be anything from a mid-afternoon iced coffee to a theatre ticket to a puff pancake for dinner.
But lately it’s been these Small Batch No-Yeast Sticky Buns. They come together at the speed of light—as far as stick buns go, anyway. The whole process from breaking out the flour to flipping six buns out of a muffin pan takes all of 40 minutes.
The quick turnaround time is, of course, a result of leavening these little pastries with baking powder and baking soda instead of yeast. Rest assured that all the fluffy texture and cinnamon flavor you want are rolled up into these buns.
And they are, of course, topped with pecans suspended in a sticky butterscotch sauce. This concoction covers the entire surface and sinks down into the spirals. It’s beyond great.
So great, in fact, that I may need another batch around stat. Good thing that dream is only 40 minutes away from becoming reality.
Small Batch No-Yeast Sticky Buns
makes just 2 cinnamon rolls
Topping:
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon milk of choice
2 teaspoons honey
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
Dough:
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons milk of choice
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
3/8 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
Filling:
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
small pinch of Kosher or sea salt
Preheat oven to 375F. Use butter to heavily grease 6 cups in a standard muffin tin.
Prepare the topping. Put 1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 tablespoon) chopped pecans in the bottom of each prepared muffin cup.
In a separate small bowl, combine remaining topping ingredients: butter, brown sugar, milk, honey (or maple syrup or light corn syrup), and salt. No need to stir. Set aside.
Make the dough. Combine vinegar, milk and butter a small microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until butter has melted. Stir and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk mixture and stir until a dough forms. Let rest 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Grab the bowl with the remaining topping ingredients. Microwave it for 30 seconds and give it a stir. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds until it’s bubbling hot. Spoon the topping mixture over the pecans in the prepared muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon each).
Flour a surface and a rolling pin. Turn dough onto the surface and roll into an 8x10 rectangle. Use the back of a spoon to spread filling over the top. Starting at a narrow end, roll each up tightly into a cylinder.
Use a large, sharp chef’s knife or bench scraper to slice the cylinder into 6 slices. Turn all rolls so that they are spiral-side up on the floured surface. Use the heel of your hand to press them down so that they are about half as tall and twice as wide as they were.
Place rolls in the prepared muffin cups. Press down on the tops to help the bottoms adhere to the sticky topping and pecans. Don’t worry that they look a little smushed, as they will rise up while baking. Bake rolls 15-16 minutes.
Once baked, let rolls cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes. Place a platter, cutting board or other plate upside down over the top of the rolls. Hold the pan and platter together tightly, then quickly invert so that the bottom of the pan is on top.
Lift the pan, revealing the sticky buns. Use a small spoon to add any remaining topping from the pan.
Serve rolls warm or at room temperature. Leftovers will keep covered for at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Some recipes I’m posting during this time are going to be super pared-down and simple, and others are…well…not. What can I say? Bakers gonna bake.
These Cream Biscuit Pecan Sticky Buns came to be because I went into this time of quarantine with a ton of heavy cream in my fridge. It’s usually reserved for making buttercream for the various layer cakes I make every month, but there are no cakes on my calendar for…who knows how long.
So, what to do with all that cream? 
This is not the first time I’ve used biscuit dough to make 
I’ve designed this recipe to be for just nine rolls. I figure most of us don’t need more than that sitting around to taunt us from the kitchen counter. If nine still seems like too many, know that these keep remarkably well in the fridge for a few days and can be reheated on demand.
Now for the social distancing swaps so you don’t have to go to the store.
My only issue with today’s recipe is that I wish it were easier to photograph. I don’t hate these photos, but they just don’t do these Banana Pecan Sticky Buns any sort of justice.
But really, what prop or angle could? Banana Pecan Sticky Buns are everything that’s wonderful about 
I can wax on and on about the soft pastry (my favorite 
I could really talk your ear off about the easiest butterscotch ever, flavored with dark brown sugar, honey, and vanilla, and topped with 1 1/2 cups of chopped toasted pecans.
And I can show you all sorts of prep photos, from slicing the rolls…
to arranging them over the sticky butterscotch and pecans…
to an hour later, when they’re soft and puffy…
to when they’re golden and bubbly, fresh from the oven.
But none of that can do justice to the moment the pan is inverted to reveal a dozen warm Banana Pecan Sticky Buns dripping with butterscotch and clustered pecans.
Or that moment when you take a bite and the combination of pastry, cinnamon, banana, pecan, and butterscotch is almost enough to make you cry. But not really. 
I guess you’ll just have to make them for yourself. Then you’ll understand.
e2 bakes brooklyn 