Homemade Honey Buns
Homemade honey buns are soft, sweet pastries with a honey-cinnamon filling, glazed with a honey-powdered sugar mixture. They’re warm, gooey, and perfect for a comforting treat.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ½ cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active yeast
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup melted shortening
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying
- For the Cinnamon Sugar:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- 4 ⅔ cups powdered sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Warm water as needed
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and yeast. Whisk until just combined, then let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the remaining sugar, flour, honey, melted shortening, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt. Knead on medium speed for 8 minutes. The dough will be sticky but should stretch and become transparent when pulled.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl lightly sprayed with baking spray, then cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, make the cinnamon sugar by whisking together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle about 12” long and 8” wide, then dust with the cinnamon sugar and gently press it into the dough.
- Roll the dough from the long side and turn the roll diagonally. Use a knife to score the dough into 8 equal 1” pieces. Trim the ends of the roll by about 1 1⁄2” and then cut along the scored lines. Place the pieces onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they are spaced at least 2” apart. Shape each piece gently with your fingers and let rise for about 45 minutes, until puffy but not doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, pour oil into a large pan or stockpot and heat it over medium heat until it reaches 365°F. Once the rolls have risen, press them down lightly again with your fingers, then fry a few at a time in the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry each side for 90 seconds, until golden brown.
- While the honey buns are frying, prepare the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, honey, melted butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Add warm water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Once the buns are golden brown on both sides, remove them from the oil and place them on a wire cooling rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten each bun, then immediately dip them into the glaze for a crispy coating.
- Repeat the frying and glazing process for the remaining honey buns.
Notes
Storage: Store honey buns in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days. For a warm treat, microwave a leftover honey bun for 5 to 10 seconds before serving. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
Yeast Tips: When working with yeast-based recipes, ensure the water temperature is correct. Too hot will kill the yeast, and too cold will prevent activation, affecting dough rise. The ideal temperature is between 105°-110°.
Shortening: Melted shortening gives honey buns the best bakery-style texture, but you can substitute melted butter if you prefer.
Flatten The Buns: Flattening the buns at each stage helps achieve a dense, melt-in-your-mouth texture, rather than the fluffier texture of a cinnamon roll.
Best The Next Day: While these honey buns are delicious when warm, I personally think they taste even better after sitting in an airtight container for a day or two. This gives them that signature softness, similar to store-bought honey buns.
Warm Milk/Water: You can replace the warm water in the dough with warm milk if you prefer.