Sourdough Sticky Buns
These Sourdough Sticky Buns rise overnight in the refrigerator, so you can enjoy a fresh-baked, indulgent breakfast with almost no morning effort. The dough has that signature tangy sourdough depth, and each bun is filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, maple, and toasted pecans.
Table of contents
What’s so great about this recipe
When you’re ready for a splurge, this is what you want for breakfast—oozy, gooey, sweet, and crunchy all in one delicious package.
Using sourdough adds another layer of flavor to the classic sticky bun. The slow rise gives the dough a wonderful chew and subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the caramel topping.
Because sourdough doughs improve with a long, cool rest, this recipe works perfectly as an overnight bake. You can do all the prep the day before and simply bake the buns in the morning.
If you’re just starting your sourdough journey, start with my guides for making a sourdough starter and feeding a starter. Or, try my classic Yeasted Sticky Buns while your starter gets going.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
This dough is enriched with butter, eggs, and milk, which makes it softer and more tender than a basic sourdough loaf.
- All Purpose Flour – has a medium protein content which is perfect for making this enriched dough. The dough has nice elasticity from the gluten, but is still soft and tender.
- Active Sourdough Starter – Use an active, bubbly starter that’s been fed 6–8 hours before mixing the dough. This recipe was developed using 100% hydration starter. If your starter has a different hydration you will need to adjust the liquid or flour in the recipe.
- Milk, Eggs, Butter – enrich the dough for a soft and pillowy texture.
- Maple Syrup – A little syrup keeps the caramel from crystalizing. You can substitute honey or corn syrup.
- Pecans add a buttery crunch, but feel free to skip the nuts or swap in walnuts or chopped almonds.
Step by Step Photos
Here’s a visual look at each stage so you can see how the dough and buns should look as they develop. See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- The dough will start out quite shaggy and sticky.
- Eventually, it will cling to the hook and clear the sides of the bowl. Set the dough aside at room temperature for bulk fermentation.
- Every hour, fold and flip the dough. After 3-5 hours the dough should be lively and aerated.
- While the dough is fermenting, combine the butter, sugar and maple syrup in a small pan to make the caramel.
- Pour the caramel into a buttered 9″x13″ pan.
- Sprinkle the pecans over the caramel.
- Roll the dough to a 18″x16″ rectangle.
- Brush the rolled dough with a light coat of egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- From the long side, roll the dough into a log.
- Divide the log into twelve 1.5″ segments.
- Slice the buns using a sawing motion with a serrated knife.
- Arrange the buns evenly in the pan, leaving just a bit of space between them.
- Brush the buns with melted butter, cover the pan and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, the buns should have risen to almost fill the pan. Leave the pan at room temperature while the oven preheats. The exact time needed for rising will vary. See the baking schedule below for more details.
- Bake the buns until they are golden brown and the buns in the center are set.
- Wait 5 minutes then flip the pan onto a serving platter or sheet pan.
- If any caramel or nuts cling to the pan, scrape them up and spoon over the buns while warm.
Did You Know?
Enriched doughs rise more slowly than lean doughs. Sugar and fat slow down yeast activity, lengthening the fermentation and rising time. That’s why this sourdough version benefits from an overnight rest in the refrigerator.
Baking Schedule
- Feed your starter the night before or early in the morning of the day you will make the dough. Estimate when to feed depending on your schedule, the condition of your starter and the ambient temperature of your kitchen. You want the starter to be at its peak when you mix the dough.
- Mix the dough as soon as the starter is ready. Allow it to ferment at room temperature for 3-5 hours. Again, the timing will depend on starter condition and the temp in the room. Because this is an enriched dough, it can be a bit slower to develop.
- After the bulk fermentation, form the buns and refrigerate the pan overnight.
- Take the pan out first thing in the morning and leave it at room temperature to rise for 1 1/2- 2 hours.
- In cooler months when my starter and dough are less active, I give the pan of buns 30 minutes at room temperature then put them in the refrigerator for the night.
- In warmer months when my starter and dough are more active, I put the pan right into the refrigerator with no time at room temperature.
With a little planning, you can have freshly baked sticky buns ready with your morning coffee—no early wake-up required.
Work Ahead Tips
This is naturally a work-ahead recipe since it’s left to rise overnight in the refrigerator. The pan of unbaked buns can be held in the refrigerator for 1 day.
You can work further ahead if you freeze the uncut log of dough. To freeze the dough, form the filled log, wrap it tightly in plastic and foil, and freeze for up to one month. Defrost before slicing and baking.
Storage
- Sourdough Sticky Buns are best warm from the oven or within a few hours of baking.
- To refresh leftovers, warm individual buns in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes or until soft and sticky again.
- Longer than a day they should be frozen. Store them in individual sandwich bags. Allow them to defrost then rewarm in the microwave or a low oven.
If you love these, try a few more of my favorite sourdough breakfast pastries: Sourdough Cinnamon Buns, Sourdough Croissants, Sourdough Danish, Sour Cherry Strudel, Apple Strudel, Bear Claws.
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Sourdough Sticky Buns
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup, 100% hydration)
- 2 oz warm water (¼ cup)
- 8 oz whole milk (1 cup, scalded and cooled)
- 20 oz unbleached all purpose flour (4 cups, see note)
- 3 oz sugar (⅓ cup)
- 2 oz unsalted butter (¼ cup, melted)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon table salt
For the Topping:
- 6 oz unsalted butter
- 8 oz light brown sugar (1 cups)
- 2 ½ oz maple syrup (¼ cup (see note))
- ¼ tsp salt
- 8 oz chopped pecans
For Assembly:
- 8 oz brown sugar (1 cup)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 2 oz unsalted butter (¼ cup, melted)
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a mixer bowl combine 8 oz active sourdough starter, 2 oz warm water, 8 oz whole milk and 2 cups (10 oz) of the flour. Mix to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
- Add 3 oz sugar, 2 oz unsalted butter, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon table salt then mix to combine. Change to the dough hook if using a stand mixer. With mixer on low add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time. The dough should be soft and elastic, will clear the sides of the bowl and gather on the hook. Knead for 5 minutes. If mixing by hand continue mixing and then kneading in the flour by hand. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead into a smooth ball.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temperature After 30 minutes uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough over into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. Cover the bowl and every 60 minutes repeat the procedure for a total of 3 hours fermentation time. By now the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature.
Prepare the Topping
- Melt 6 oz unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Generously brush a 9" x 13" baking pan with some of the melted butter. Return the butter to the heat and add 8 oz light brown sugar, 2 ½ oz maple syrup and ¼ tsp salt. Cook over low heat until the mixture begins to bubble and the butter and sugar are melted. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and sprinkle 8 oz chopped pecans in an even layer over the caramel.
Assembly
- Combine 8 oz brown sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Turn the dough onto a floured surface without kneading. Roll the dough to a 18" x 16" (46cmx41cm) rectangle. Brush the surface of the dough with egg wash. You should use almost ½ the egg wash to get a good coating so the cinnamon sugar will stick. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the egg washed dough. Use your hands to smooth the cinnamon sugar to an even layer all the way to the edge of the dough.
- Working from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log, pinch the seam to seal. Straighten out the log so it's of even thickness and is 18" (46cm) long (see note).
- Use a serrated knife to cut the log into twelve 1½" (3.5cm) wide buns. Place the buns into the prepared pan. Generously brush the tops of the buns with the melted butter. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (see note).
- In the morning take the pan out of the refrigerator. Allow the buns to come to room temperature. By the time they're warmed up they should be puffy and almost filling the pan. The exact time needed for rising will vary depending how much the buns rose in the refrigerator and the temperature of your kitchen. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 °F.
- Bake the buns until they're until golden brown and set in the center, 25-30 minutes.
- Allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then flip them from the pan onto a serving platter while they are still warm. Scrape any nuts or caramel stuck in the pan and add to the topping.
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