Maple Pecan Sticky Buns (Vegan)
These buns are nothing less than maple-pecan-ooey goodness atop fluffy, soft yeasted dough. Every dairy-free bit will melt in your mouth.
Ingredients
Dough
- 540 grams / 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 4 tbsp / 56 grams plant based butter with salt - melted
- 10 grams / 3 tsp Rapid Rise yeast
- 6 grams / 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp / 50 grams cane sugar
- 1 1/3 cup plant based milk (room temperature)
- 2 tsp maple extract
Filling
- 6 tbsp / 75 grams cane sugar
- 6 tbsp / 75 grams coconut sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp / 42 grams plant based butter with salt (room temperature)
Topping
- 2 cups Pecans - roughly chopped and toasted
- 113 grams / 1 stick plant based butter with salt
- 1/3 cup / 62 grams cane sugar
- 1/3 cup / 62 grams coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp maple extract
Instructions
Dough
- To a large measuring cup add the milk, melted butter and maple extract; whisk to combine.To a medium bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. (I am using rapid rise yeast, so it can be added straight to the bowl without blooming it first). Whisk the ingredients together to fully combine. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wood spoon or silicone spatula until all the flour is absorbed. Turn the dough out on to a lightly greased surface and knead it until it becomes smooth and stretchy. I usually knead for about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl or place it in a proofing bag (see note below). Set it aside to double in size. I place mine in the oven with only the oven light on. It usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours to double in size.**see notes below if you are making these with a stand mixer
Filling
- While the dough is proofing, the filling can be prepared.In a small bowl add both sugars and the cinnamon and whisk to fully combine.Make sure to set out the butter for the filling, we want it to be a spreadable consistency when the time comes.
Topping
- I start the topping about 30 minutes before the dough is done with its first proofing.Start by roughly chopping the pecans and toasting them. Pour the toasted pecans into a 9 x 13in parchment lined baking pan. Make sure they are evenly spread out across the bottom of the pan.In a small pot add the butter, both sugars and maple syrup. Place the pot over medium to medium-low heat. Leave the mixture over the heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, making sure to stir it regularly. Once the sugar has completely dissolved add the maple extract and stir to incorporate. Pour the butter sugar mixture over the pecans making sure to cover them evenly. You may need to move the pecans around a little to get them all coated. Just make sure to spread them back out so the bottom of the pan is evenly covered.
Rolling out the buns
- Once the dough reaches the end of its first proofing, punch out the air and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to a 12 x 16 in rectangle. Spread the butter across the top of the dough, make sure to cover it evenly. Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the butter; making sure to evenly covers the top of the dough. Cut the dough into 8 strips that are each 2 inches wide ( I used a pizza cutter for this).
- Roll each strip up, pinch the end so it does not unravel and place it in the prepared pan. Repeat for all 8 strips.
- Place the pan back in the proofing bag, or cover it and set it aside while the buns double in size. I place mine back in the proofing bag and back into the oven with only the oven light on. It usually takes 45 to 50 minutes for the buns to double in size.**see notes below if you want to make these the day before
- Once the buns have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350F (if the buns are proofing in the oven, make sure to remove them before turning the oven on).Bake the buns for 35 minutes, they should be a golden brown color on top.Leave them in the pan for a few minutes, you don't want the topping running all over the place when you flip them out. Once the topping seems to have hardened enough to not be too runny, place another parchment lined pan or cookie sheet over the top of the pan the buns are in. Try to gently flip the buns out onto the new parchment lined pan so the gooey sides with all the sticky pecan goodness is on top.The buns can be served immediately.Store the buns in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for up to 3 days.They can easily be reheated in a toaster oven in a couple of minutes with the toast setting.
Notes
***If using a stand mixer, add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer, blend on medium speed with a dough hook attachment until the ingredients come together to form a ball. Once the ball is formed, continue on medium for another 5 to 8 minutes kneading the dough. It should be becoming smooth and stretchy and pulling away from the bowl. Form your dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover or place in a proofing bag, leave to double in size.
***When it comes to proofing, I use what I call a "proofing" bag. I discovered that the large turkey roasting bags that you can get at the grocery store are great for using as a proofing bag. They are usually large enough to put different size bowls in (depending on how much dough I am working with) and medium size baking dishes fit well inside them. I try to put what ever dish or pan I am baking the item in/on in the bag for the second proof. During the cold months, I find that the inside of the oven with the oven light on ONLY is a great place to proof.
***Remember, if you are using your oven to proof your dough, to take the proofing item out of the oven before setting the baking temperature.
***Want to make these the day before? Follow all the instructions through forming the sticky buns and then cover the dish (needs to be airtight) or place the dish back in the proofing bag and place in the refrigerator. The next morning remove the buns from the refrigerator and leave on the counter (could go in the oven with ONLY the oven light on while still covered or in the proofing bag) and let the rolls reach room temperature and double in size. This process has taken up to 2 hours for me (the warmer the environment the, faster this will happen). Once they double in size you can follow the rest of the instructions above.