Sticky Buns, a Family Christmas Tradition

My family is huge and crazy. Well, the people aren’t huge. The amount of people is huge. But the people in my family are definitely crazy. As Mark Twain once said, “In one way or another, all men are mad.” I think he was on to something there.

Here’s a little taste of Christmas in my family (both sides): (oh, and the box of Cocoa Puffs you see is totally a Christmas thing! I do not buy those normally! And my Certain Little Someone eats them as a special snack, and not for breakfast.)

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And in my huge family – as in any family – it’s a matter of course that we each differ from each other in many ways, and occasionally (of course, only very occasionally) disagree on matters of minor importance. But one thing we all agree on: we love Christmas! My parents did a great job of creating very special Christmas memories that we all treasure to this day, even as we get deeper into our thirties and um, forties (hoping my oldest sister doesn’t read this. Ahem.).

Our traditions are too numerous to count, but one of our favorites is having sticky buns for breakfast Christmas morning. My mom started making these when I was a little girl, and she taught each of us to make them. They’ve been a part of our holiday season for as long as I can remember, and this time of year doesn’t seem complete without them.

This year, we didn’t have time for such a breakfast on Christmas morning, because it happened to be Sunday, and Sunday means church. Especially Christmas Sunday! Can’t skip church on Christmas Sunday, that just doesn’t seem right. Anyway, we (or I, rather) decided that Christmas Eve morning would be the perfect day to have our traditional Christmas breakfast. And the fact that everyone in the family agreed with and listened to the middle child should be a sign to you of the importance of this tradition.

I convinced my littlest sister (already an amazing little baker at the age of 19) to make a couple batches of sticky buns for us all to eat on Christmas Eve morning, and she did a phenomenal job! Fluffy and sweet and soooo delicious!

I am going to give you my mom’s recipe in all its unaltered glory, as we ate it on Christmas Eve. (When I make them, I usually adapt the ingredients to be healthier, and I cut down on the caramel glaze to be cheaper (and healthier). Also, I leave out the nuts for my DH’s sake. ) In my normal day-to-day life I don’t eat this much sugar or refined flour, but for Christmas? Bring it on!

Mom’s Sticky Buns

Ingredients

6-7 cups flour
1 package dry yeast
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
8 TBSP butter, melted
3-4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups chopped nuts, optional

Caramel Glaze:

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 TBSP corn syrup (I usually omit this.)
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

In a mixer bowl, combine 2 cups flour and yeast.
In a saucepan, heat milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and salt, until warm. Stir to melt butter. Add to dry ingredients in mixer bowl; add eggs.
Beat at low speed for 1/2 minute, scrape bowl, then beat 3 minutes longer. By hand, stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.
Knead, adding flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, then turn greased side up. Let rise, covered, until double, about 1.5 hrs.
Divide dough into 2 parts. Roll out each half. In bowl, mix 1 cup sugar, cinnamon, and 8 TBSP butter. Brush half of mixture onto each rectangle of dough. Roll up jelly-roll fashion, seal long edge, cut into 1 inch slices and place in a greased pan whose bottom has been covered with a caramel glaze (below) and nuts (optional).
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Caramel Glaze:

Bring ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan, boil for 1 minute. Place in 2 9×13 pans and cover with chopped nuts.

I also shared our own little family’s new tradition of a Sausage Ring for Christmas Eve morning, and it was well received! Can’t go wrong with sausage!

This recipe is neither QUICK, nor EASY, nor CHEAP, nor HEALTHY. Just so you know.

Sharing at Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, and