These Apple Sticky Buns are soft bread rolls that are generously glazed with sweet caramel sauce and filled with fresh apples and walnuts. You will love this simple indulgence any time of the day!
This post is sponsored by Cosmic Crisp® Washington Apples. It is a delicious, one-of-a-kind apple that easily became our favorite. I received compensation for crafting this delicious recipe and sharing it with you. Thanks for supporting the products that I genuinely love.
Nothing beats the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven.Making bread at home remains to be one of my favorite things to do to add a cozy touch to my day and these Apple Sticky Buns are no exception.
The warm flavor of cinnamon melding together with the butter and brown sugar, hmmm the smell is just perfect. Cosmic Crisp® Washington Apples takes these sticky buns to the next level as it adds an element of freshness and a layer of texture to the cinnamon buns.
It is a real delight to work with Cosmic Crisps! Prepping is hassle-free and unhurried because they are naturally slow to brown. I can chop them ahead and prepare the rest of the ingredients and they are still looking fresh and pretty.
If I am not baking with them, we love snacking on these juicy, large and sweet Cosmic Crisp apples. A cross between honey and enterprise apples, these gems are 20 years in the making, classically bred at Washington University and are a non-GMO product. I think it wins in all departments!
They are juicy, perfectly crisp and sweet, so whether you snack on them, cook or bake with them, these apples are perfect. They may even be the best tasting apples!
I love incorporating them into this recipe. They retain the firmness and flavor even after baking, and they add a bright, sweet touch to these sticky buns. You have to try this!
Let’s Make Apple Sticky Buns
Make and Knead the Dough. In a bowl, proof the yeast with warm water and about a teaspoon of the sugar. Once foamy, stir in the milk, softened butter, sugar, eggs and salt.
Add the flour one cup at a time as you stir with a wooden spoon. The dough should gather in the center of a bowl into a soft and shaggy mass.
If the dough won’t come together and is still very wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time, just until the dough gathers loosely. Knead the dough in a lightly floured board until it is smooth and elastic.
Let the dough rise in a warm place in a bowl, covered with a clean towel for 1 to 1 ½hours, or until doubled in bulk.
Prepare the Filling. While the dough rises, prepare the filling. Wash, core and chop one Cosmic Crisp apple into little cubes. In a bowl, whisk together walnuts, sugars and the cinnamon.
Making and Filling the Bread Dough 
Assembly and Shaping of the Apple Buns
Prepare the Sticky Caramel and Cosmic Crisps Topping. In a bowl,use a rubber spatula to combine softened butter, brown sugar and golden syrup until it turns into a paste. Divide this among two 9 inch round pie dishes or baking pans.
Spread it with an angled spatula so that the entire bottom of the dishes are covered. Core and slice another Cosmic Crisp into thin pieces or dice them.
This recipe yields 2 pans of rolls, so I sliced half the apple and diced the other half. Arrange the Cosmic crisp apple slices on top of the brown sugar paste in a single layer.
Roll the Dough and Shape the Apple Buns. After the first rise, roll the dough using a rolling pin into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle. Sprinkle the filling mixture on top, pressing it with your fingers so that they sit well on the dough.
Starting on the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log, pressing the seams together well to seal it. Cut the log into 14-15 portions ( about 1 inch thickness each). Arrange them on top of the apples on the prepared pans. Cover the pans with a clean towel and let them rise once more, for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake! Bake the risen buns at 350 F, for 20-23 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Allow them to cool slightly in the pan, then with pot holders, carefully turn them over onto rimmed plates or serving dishes. Serve warm.
Tips and Pointers
- Roll the dough into a log tightly so that they hold their shape well.If the dough gets too warm during rolling, place the log on a pan and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing it into portions.
- It is important to turn the buns over while they are still hot or warm. The caramel may start to set as it cools down, making it hard to release the buns.
- Store leftover buns in a tightly covered container for up to 2 days. Refrigerate for longer storage for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the buns in plastic film, then wrap in foil. It can stay in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
- The best place to store Cosmic Crisp® Apples is the crisper in the fridge.
More Apple Recipes
Apple Sticky Buns
These Apple Sticky Buns are soft bread rolls that are generously glazed with sweet caramel sauce and filled with fresh apples and walnuts.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup warm water (105-115 F)
- 2 and ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup butter,softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ to 3 ¾ cups all- purpose flour
For the Apple Walnut Filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. white granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup walnut, chopped into little pieces
- 1 Cosmic Crisp Apple, cored and chopped into little cubes
For the Sticky Caramel and Apple Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 3 tbsp. golden syrup, or corn syrup
- 1 Cosmic Crisp Apple, cored and sliced thinly or cubed*
Instructions
- In a bowl, proof the yeast with warm water and about a teaspoon of the sugar. Once foamy, stir in the milk, softened butter, sugar, eggs and salt.
- Add the 3 cups of flour one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon.Then, add just enough of the remaining flour until the dough gathers in the center of a bowl into a soft and shaggy mass.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured board until smooth and elastic. Use the window pane method to test.
- Let the dough rise in a bowl, covered with a clean towel for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk.
- While the dough rises, prepare the filling. Wash, core and chop one Cosmic Crisp apple into little cubes. In a bowl, whisk together walnuts, brown sugar, white sugar and the cinnamon.
- Prepare the sticky caramel and Cosmic Crisps topping.In a bowl,use a rubber spatula to combine softened butter, brown sugar and golden syrup until it turns into a chunky paste. Divide this among two 9 inch round pie dishes or baking pans. Spread it with an angled spatula so that the entire bottom of the dishes are covered. Core and slice another Cosmic Crisp into thin pieces or dice them (I sliced half the apple and diced the other half). Arrange the Cosmic crisp apples slices (or cubes) on top of the brown sugar paste in a single layer.
- After the first rise, roll the dough using a rolling pin into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle. Sprinkle the filling mixture on top, pressing it with your fingers so that they sit well on the dough. Starting on the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log, pressing the seams together well to seal it. Cut the log into 14-15 portions ( about 1 inch thickness each). Arrange them on top of the apples on the pans. Cover them with a clean towel and let them rise again for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Bake the sticky apple buns at 350 F, for 20-23 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Allow them to cool slightly in the pan, then with pot holders, carefully turn them over onto rimmed plates or serving dishes. Serve warm.
Notes
- For the Apple Topping, you can either slice or cube the apple. This makes 2 pans so I used half sliced and half cubed.
- Roll the dough into a log tightly so that they hold their shape well. If the dough gets too warm during rolling, place the log on a pan and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing it into portions.
- It is important to turn the buns over while they are still hot or warm. It will be more tricky to release the buns as the caramel cools because it will start to set.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 612Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 234mgCarbohydrates: 119gFiber: 4gSugar: 24gProtein: 14g
My husband and I ate the whole pan in two days. So good! I didn’t read all the way to see the step by step directions and they still turned out right. I will make the second pan for my friends. I flambed my apples in rum and brown sugar for a little extra flair.
Hi Shelly! I am so happy you loved it! Your touch to the apples sounds yummy!