The joy of making, eating soft and sweet sticky buns

by Kathy Hamman Miller

Sticky buns are the perfect soft and sweet bun that will melt in your mouth at the first bite. It was Saturday morning treat for when friends and family would stop in and a favorite of us kids. The smell of these baking is better than any perfume on the market.

For the buns:

1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm tap water
2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine
2 pkg. instant yeast
5 1/4 cup flour

Scald milk, stir in sugar, salt, and margarine. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast, stirring until dissolved. Add lukewarm milk mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Turn out unto lightly floured surface kneading until smooth and elastic. Place into greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with dish towel and let rise until doubled in bulk.
While waiting, make the topping by stirring following ingredients together and place in a 9 by 13 cake pan. Set aside.

Topping:
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine 
1/4 cup tap water

When dough has doubled punch down and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Shape into a 20 by 9 inch rectangle about a 1/2 inch thick. Spread on additional margarine or butter and sprinkle lightly with about a 1/4 cup of white sugar. Roll up in jelly roll style, cut crosswise, in 1 inch sections. Place in cake pan swirl side up that is prepared with the topping, cover and let rise double again. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes than turn upside down on a cookie sheet or platter. Separate and serve. Enjoy.