Today I’m testing out Claire Saffitz’s recipe for Walnut Maple Buns from her Dessert Person cookbook. In the recipe write-up, Claire says that she’s not a fan of overly-sweet breakfast buns; so as you’d expect, these buns have well-balanced sweetness and don’t result in a sugar crash — even after eating two! These buns are a hybrid of a sticky bun and a cinnamon roll, so it’s the best of both worlds. The bread itself is a sweet yeasted dough that’s light, tender, and pulls apart beautifully. The buns are rolled like a cinnamon roll, but the filling is quite scant and flavor-forward rather than a pile over overly sweet ingredients. The filling is made with a little brown sugar and a generous amount of warm cardamom and fresh orange zest. Cardamom is a prominent flavor in this recipe, so if you’re not a fan, just swap it with cinnamon. The aroma of these sticky buns is amazing! Very floral and warm. The buns are topped with a classic sticky bun style topping of toasted nuts in a sticky-sweet glaze. The main flavor in the glaze is maple syrup — complemented by brown sugar and vanilla with a bit of butter for richness and thickness. The texture of this topping is crispy, gooey, sticky, and chewy — it’s all the best brunch textures combined! These sticky buns / cinnamon rolls are baked upside down; so that sticky sweet nutty glaze is on the bottom of the pan. This was, by far, the hardest part of the recipe: getting the breakfast buns out of the pan with the topping attached and in-tact. Even if things go wrong, you’re still in for a delicious, albeit less pretty, end result. Next time I make this, I’ll grease my pan with a little butter and line with parchment (and more butter!) to help give an easier removal from the pan. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!
– Claire Saffitz, Dessert Person: https://amzn.to/2KtALqK
I buy all my groceries through online delivery services. I recommend the below*
– Free $25 from Fresh Direct: https://refer.freshdirect.com/s/thegeoffreyalan
– Free $10 from Food Kick: https://refer.foodkick.com/s/bwwjr
– Free $10 from Imperfect Foods: http://imprfct.us/v/geoffrey_56
Kitchen products I use & love*
Cookware & Bakeware:
– Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick 8″ Square Pan: https://amzn.to/3dqjpEA
– Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick 9″ x 13 Pan: https://amzn.to/2zgjjjV
– Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick Loaf Pan: https://amzn.to/3fuNGE3
– Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick Muffin & Mini-Muffin: https://amzn.to/3gEo6g7
– Breville Stainless Steel 10-piece Pot & Pan Set: https://amzn.to/3ffhTqw
– Calphalon Contemporary 10″ Non-Stick Pan: https://amzn.to/2Wc7lko
– Lodge 10″ Cast Iron Skillet (pre-seasoned & ready to use): https://amzn.to/3bbqEys
Kitchen Tools*
– Silicon Bowl Cover 6-pack Set: https://amzn.to/2SZQ9gb
– Norpro 4 TBSP Large Cookie Scoop: https://amzn.to/3c7SAVj
– 8-quart stainless bowl: https://amzn.to/35F26g9
– Taylor Oven Thermometer: https://amzn.to/3ce6IfE
– Compostable Bags: https://amzn.to/2SKsfF1
– Cuisinart Box Grater: https://amzn.to/3cfbDgr
– Rubbermaid Food Storage 18-piece set: https://amzn.to/2zeFnvs
– OXO Salad Chopper & Bowl: https://amzn.to/3dmJ0Oz
– OXO Silicone Cookie Spatula, 2-pack: https://amzn.to/2Wexy1T
– OXO Pastry Dough Cutter / Blender: https://amzn.to/2WcpxKB
– OXO 3-piece Silicone Spatula (safe to 600°F): https://amzn.to/3dqJyDa
– OXO Large Silicone Spatula: https://amzn.to/3bcR9DM
– OXO Medium Cookie Scoop: https://amzn.to/2TFdpjA
– Mandoline Slicer: https://amzn.to/2XfJS16
– Stay-bowl-izer non-slip bowl holder: https://amzn.to/2SIFfew
– Prepworks Magnetic Measuring Spoon Set: https://amzn.to/3gofkD9
– Microplane: https://amzn.to/2XgxJdp
Small Appliances*
– Breville Hand Mixer: https://amzn.to/3fc0zCE
– Breville Compact Toaster Oven: https://amzn.to/2Yz9JmG
– Breville Super-Blender: https://amzn.to/2SvBhps
– Breville Grind Control Coffee Maker: https://amzn.to/2z3CQ74
– Breville Scraper Mixer Pro: https://amzn.to/2WkDxRt
– Mueller Coffee & Spice Grinder: https://amzn.to/2WxeTx2
Cookbooks I LOVE:
– Claire Saffitz, Dessert Person: https://amzn.to/2KtALqK
– Carla Lalli Music, Where Cooking Begins: https://amzn.to/385XG3v
– Every Day is Saturday: Recipes + Strategies for Easy Cooking, Every Day of the Week: https://amzn.to/2Wl8cP6
*Affiliate Links: the price is the same, but if you make a purchase, I receive a small commission.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegeoffreyalan
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Recipe:
