Sourdough Honey Buns Recipes
Yield: 8 buns
These Sourdough Discard Honey Buns are soft, fluffy, and topped with a sweet honey glaze for an irresistible homemade treat. Made with sourdough discard and simple ingredients, they’re an easy and delicious twist on the nostalgic Little Debbie honey bun.
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Honey Bun Dough
- 120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/2 cup
- 30 grams honey 1 Tablespoon
- 175 grams milk, warm 3/4 cup
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 370 grams bread flour 2 ½ cups + 2 Tablespoons
- 7 grams instant yeast 2 teaspoons
- 5 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
Butter Filling
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup
- 72 grams honey 3 Tablespoon
- 4 grams vanilla paste or extract 1 teaspoon
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 110 grams brown sugar 1/2 c
- 6 grams ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon
Honey Glaze
- 340 grams powdered sugar 2 1/2 cups + 2 Tablespoons
- 60 grams hot water 1/4 cup
- 25 grams honey 1 Tablespoon
- 6 grams vanilla paste or extract 1½ teaspoon
- 1 gram salt 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions
DOUGH
- Add the sourdough discard, honey, warm milk, melted butter, and egg to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed or whisk with a Danish dough whisk until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.The temperature of the milk was 110 degrees F. Any hotter and this could kill the instant yeast and prevent the dough from rising.120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 30 grams honey, 175 grams milk, warm, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 1 large egg
- Switch the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment. Then, add the flour, instant yeast and salt to the bowl. Mix on low, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula when necessary, until all of the ingredients have been incorporated.370 grams bread flour, 7 grams instant yeast, 5 grams salt
- Continue to knead the dough for 5-7 more minutes at medium speed. You can knead this dough by hand, but I would increase the time to about 10-15 minutes.You know the dough will have enough flour when the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl while it is being kneaded and when the dough feels tacky, not sticky, when you poke it.
- Remove the dough and place it in a straight-edge bowl, cover it and let the dough rest until doubled in size in a warm spot.In my 70 degree F kitchen, this took about 1 hour. The rise time can vary depending on the temperature of your ingredients and kitchen. The warmer your kitchen, the faster the dough will rise. The opposite is true for cooler kitchens.
FILLINGS
- While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, add the butter, honey, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined. In another bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature, 72 grams honey, 4 grams vanilla paste or extract, pinch of salt, 110 grams brown sugar, 6 grams ground cinnamon
SHAPE
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 inch by 12 inch rectangle.
- Spread the honey butter over the entire surface of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on the entire surface of the dough.
- Starting at the long end closest to you, roll up the homemade cinnamon rolls into a long snake. Cut off the uneven edges, then divide into 8 equal pieces with unflavored dental floss, string, or a sharp knife. (2 inches per roll)Or, using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 8 even stripes (2 inches per roll), then roll each into a roll for a more polished look. Roll tightly and then tuck the end underneath the bottom of the roll.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place the Sourdough Discard Honey Buns about 2 inches apart.
- Using a small piece of parchment paper, flatten each honey bun to an oval shape, about 4-5 inches wide, then cover with plastic wrap or a plastic cover and let rise for a second time until they have noticeably grown and look puffy. This took 45-60 minutes in my 70 degree F kitchen.
- Not ready to bake these on the same day? No worries! Jump down to the NOTES for several Make-Ahead options!
BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the buns for 20-24 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and the internal temperature is at least 188 degrees F.If the honey buns are browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil and continue to bake.
- Remove from the oven and place the honey buns on a wire rack to cool slightly.
HONEY GLAZE
- While the cinnamon buns are cooling slightly, prepare the honey glaze.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, hot water, honey, vanilla and salt. Whisk until smooth.340 grams powdered sugar, 60 grams hot water, 25 grams honey, 6 grams vanilla paste or extract, 1 gram salt
- Using a pastry brush, brush the honey glaze over the warm honey buns so that it can slightly melt into all of the cracks and crevices. Allow the glaze to set slightly and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bread flour—Bread flour gives these honey buns the fluffiest, chewiest texture. Standard all-purpose flour works if that is what you have, but bread flour’s higher protein content gives you a much better rise.
- Milk—Whole milk keeps the dough rich and soft, but your favorite non-dairy milk will work just fine.
- Sourdough Discard—Grab room-temperature discard that’s no more than a day or two old. Cold discard straight from the fridge will drag out your rise time. If you don’t have discard on hand, you can swap in an equal amount (in grams) of active sourdough starter.
- Instant Yeast—Stick with instant yeast for this discard buns recipe instead of active dry. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in warm liquid first and takes longer to work. Instant yeast goes right into the dry ingredients and makes the dough rise real fast.
Honey Butter Filling
-
- Honey: Any honey works, but I recommend using a mild-flavored honey for the best flavor.
- Butter: Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature so it spreads smoothly over the dough without tearing it. Skip the salt if you use salted butter.
- Vanilla: I love vanilla paste because of its rich flavor and those pretty little flecks, but vanilla extract works just as well.
- Cinnamon Sugar: I used light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar brings a deep, caramel-like sweetness that tastes incredible with the honey.
Honey Glaze
- Honey: Stick with a mild-flavored honey here so the glaze stays sweet and balanced rather than bitter.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the glaze and dissolves quickly for a smooth, lump-free finish.
- Hot water: Thins out the glaze just enough so it brushes on just right
- Vanilla: A quick drop of vanilla paste or vanilla extract rounds out the sweetness in the glaze.
MAKE-AHEAD Options
If you are looking to prepare these Sourdough Discard Honey Buns the night before and bake them the following morning – here are some options and tips! Option 1: Prepare the dough and once it has doubled in size, cover the bowl and chill in the fridge overnight. The following morning, shape the honey buns and allow them to rise and get fluffy in a warm place before baking as normal. Since the dough is cool from the fridge, the second rise will take longer to complete. Option 2: My personal favorite method! Prepare the dough and shape the honey buns the night before, then pop the covered baking dish into the fridge overnight. Pull out the unbaked buns 1-2 hours before baking to allow them to rise and get fluffy in a warm place. Option 3: Prepare the dough and shape the honey buns, then pop the covered baking dish into the freezer overnight. Once frozen solid, place the sourdough cinnamon rolls into a freezer-safe bag and store for 2-3 weeks for the best results. When ready to bake, place the frozen honey buns on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and place them in the refrigerator the night before. The next morning, take them out of the fridge and allow them to rise in a warm place, about 1.5-2 hours, or until fluffy.Bake, Freeze & Reheat
Otherwise, you can bake the honey buns as normal, then allow them to cool to room temperature. DO NOT ICE WITH HONEY GLAZE. Cover the buns tightly with plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. When ready to enjoy, allow the buns to thaw on the counter top at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, reheat them in a 350 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until warmed through. Top with honey glaze and serve! **Since this is an enriched dough, it can take longer for the dough to rise. The rise time will also depend on the temperature of your kitchen. A cooler kitchen will have a longer final rise, while a warmer kitchen will be quicker. Bake as normal.Nutrition
Serving: 1bun | Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 599IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
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