Delicious homemade honey buns, with a yeasted sweet dough and a lovely honey glaze. A wonderful treat for breakfast or brunch or with an afternoon tea.

homemade honey buns in baking tray

I felt the need for something sweet and this is what emerged from my kitchen. Buns – buns with honey – perfectly sweet and delightful for a late weekend breakfast. They are even better with nuts and raisins. I didn’t have any nuts this morning to add to the pan (didn’t discover until I was too far into it, so just imagine a bunch of nuts on top, ok?) While still lovely without the nuts, they are a nice addition to balance the sweetness a bit. Taking the time to toast the nuts is even better, for an extra bit of flavour.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Yeast – you can use Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast for these honey buns.

Milk – 2 or 3% milk is recommended.

Honey – Pick a honey you love for these buns, as it’s flavour is front and centre. You can use liquid or creamed.

Recipe Tips

The amount of dough for these buns is fairly small, so you may find it easier to hand knead this, rather than use a stand mixer. I start the mixing in the stand mixer and then pop it out onto a floured counter to finish kneading.

homemade honey buns in baking tray

Storing and Freezing

Store baked honey buns in an airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

homemade honey buns in baking tray

Get the Recipe: Honey Buns

Delicious, sweet yeast honey buns, dotted with raisins or raisins and nuts. Perfect breakfast or tea treat.
5 stars from 6 ratings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time:: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Yield: 8 buns

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 3 Tablespoons white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup scalded milk, *microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled

Filling:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup honey, liquid or creamed, is fine
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, or walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Proof the yeast in the lukewarm water with the 1/2 tsp. sugar. Scald the milk by microwaving for about 45 seconds to 1 minute or heating in a small saucepan until small bubble appear around the edges of the milk. Remove from microwave and add the remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 Tbsp. butter. Stir to melt the butter and let stand until it has cooled to lukewarm (105F)
  • Meanwhile, if you like toast your nuts in a 350° oven until they are fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  • In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, add the proofed yeast. Check temperature of the milk to be sure it's lukewarm and add to the yeast mixture. Add egg to the bowl. Stir in one cup of the flour and mix well. Add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough comes together and cleans the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
  • When dough is smooth and satiny, place in greased bowl cover and leave to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, make honey butter by creaming the 1/2 cup butter with the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup honey. Chill until mixture is no longer runny, but will still spread.
  • When dough is risen, deflate and roll out into a rectangle 14 x 7 inches. Spread with about 1/2 cup of the honey butter, leaving an inch around the outsides so it has some room to spread as you roll it. sprinkle with some of the raisins and nuts (about 1/3). Starting at the long side, roll it up like a jelly roll.
  • Put the remaining honey butter in a saucepan and heat it until it bubbles. Pour half of it into an 8-inch round baking pan. Sprinkle the rest of the raisins and nuts over the honey butter. Cut the dough roll into eight slices and place them, cut side down, into the pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 375F.
  • Place pan with buns onto a baking sheet (to catch any boil-overs). Pour the rest of the honey butter over the top and bake in preheated 375° F. oven 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Snack
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Sodium: 282mg, Potassium: 173mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 475IU, Vitamin C: 0.6mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 2.1mg
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