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A close-up shot of several soft honey buns arranged together, showing their fluffy texture and glistening glaze.

Homemade Honey Buns: The Ultimate Recipe for Soft, Gooey Treats

The ultimate recipe for Homemade Honey Buns! Learn how to make incredibly soft, fluffy, and gooey honey buns from scratch with a luscious honey glaze. This easy-to-follow, no-fail recipe guarantees bakery-quality results every time.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 buns
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Dough
  • 1 cup Milk warmed to 105-115°F
  • 2.25 tsp Active Dry Yeast 1 standard packet
  • 0.25 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 0.25 cup Unsalted Butter melted
  • 1 Large Egg room temperature
  • 3.5 cups Bread Flour plus more for dusting
  • 1 tsp Salt
For the Honey Glaze
  • 0.5 cup Unsalted Butter
  • 0.33 cup Honey
  • 1.5 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tbsp Milk or Cream as needed

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch baking pan
  • 2 Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Stand mixer (optional) with dough hook attachment

Instructions
 

  1. In a large bowl, combine warm milk, 1 tbsp of sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
  2. To the yeast mixture, add the remaining sugar, melted butter, and egg. Gradually mix in the flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes (or 6-8 minutes in a stand mixer) until smooth and elastic.
  3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
  4. Punch down the dough. Roll it into a large rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick). Roll it up tightly into a log and cut into 12 equal rolls.
  5. Place rolls in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes until puffy. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly in the pan.
  7. While buns cool, melt butter and honey in a saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk to reach desired consistency.
  8. Pour the warm glaze over the warm honey buns. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

For the softest buns, make sure not to overbake them. Pull them from the oven as soon as they are a light golden brown.
You can make the dough ahead of time. After the first rise, punch it down, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
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