Description
Homemade honey buns are soft, pillowy pastries with a delightful honey glaze, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and comfort. They’re ideal for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a dessert for casual get-togethers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk (warm)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons honey (for glaze)
- 1–2 tablespoons milk (for glaze consistency)
- Optional: ½ cup raisins or dried fruit
- Optional: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm milk and honey. Stir until honey dissolves, then sprinkle in the yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture, then mix in eggs and melted butter. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.
- Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- After rising, punch the dough down and roll it out to a rectangle, about ½ inch thick. Optionally, sprinkle with cinnamon, raisins, or nuts before rolling up tightly. Cut the dough into 1.5-inch wide pieces.
- Place the cut dough in a greased baking dish or lined baking tray. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes until swollen.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the buns for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow when tapped.
- While the buns bake, prepare the glaze by mixing powdered sugar, honey, and milk until smooth. Adjust consistency with milk or powdered sugar.
- Let the buns cool for about 10 minutes, then drizzle the honey glaze over the tops. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute with a gluten-free flour blend.
- For a dairy-free version, use almond or coconut milk, and coconut oil instead of butter.
- For a vegan version, replace eggs with a flaxseed mixture (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water) and use plant-based butter.
- For a sugar-free version, replace sugar with erythritol or monk fruit sweetener.
- Consider adding chocolate chips, spices like nutmeg, or citrus zest for different flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Baked Goods
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Honey Buns, Homemade Buns, Honey Glaze, Breakfast Buns, Comfort Food, Sweet Pastry