Apple & Walnut Sourdough Sticky Buns
Baked upside down in a cast-iron skillet, these sourdough sticky buns feature tender apples and crunchy walnuts in a luscious caramel topping. The ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg filling complements the cozy fall vibes, while the sourdough brioche provides a buttery softness and subtle savory tang.
Ingredients
Dough
- 320 grams (2¼ cup) bread flour
- 4 grams (⅔ tsp) fine salt
- 160 grams (⅔ cup) whole milk
- 57 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter plus more for pan
- 66 grams (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 125 grams (½ cup) sourdough starter active/fed
Topping
- 148 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar
- 57 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter
- 84 grams (¼ cup) honey
- 3 grams (½ tsp) fine salt
- 113 grams (1 cup) coarsely chopped walnuts
- 113 grams (1 cup or about 1 medium) pink lady or gala apple cored and chopped
Filling
- 99 grams (½ cup) brown sugar
- 6 grams (1 tbsp) ginger
- 3 grams (1 tsp) cinnamon
- 1.5 grams (½ tsp) nutmeg
- Pinch salt
- 43 grams (3 tbsp) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook, combine flour and salt and mix together.
- Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat and mix in butter and sugar until melted and dissolved. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, or until about 100-120°.
- Add eggs and starter to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Add wet ingredient mixture to dry ingredient mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased clear bowl or container. Mark the position of the top of the dough with a rubber band or washable marker. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and leave at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 4-6 hours (see note).
- When dough has nearly doubled, make topping: In a 12-inch cast iron skillet combine brown sugar, butter, honey, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until butter and sugar are melted. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, make filling: In a small mixing bowl combine brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Scatter walnuts and apples in skillet.
- Once doubled, punch down dough and knead briefly to knock out air. Transfer to a floured surface. Roll out dough to a roughly 12x16-inch rectangle.
- Spread melted butter over the top of the dough. Top with the brown sugar filling mixture, leaving a small border of about 1-inch on one of the longer edges.
- Roll dough tightly into a cylinder, starting from the filling-covered long edge. Pinch seem closed. Cut cylinder into 12 rolls with a serrated knife or a piece of dental floss. Place in skillet on top of the apple-walnut topping.
- Cover skillet with a towel and leave buns to rise until roughly doubled, about 3-5 hours.
- When ready to bake preheat oven to 350°. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden-brown and internal temperature of at least 190°.
- Allow buns to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen buns. Invert skillet onto a cutting board or plate. Serve warm or room temperature.
- Once cooled, store any leftover buns in a sealed container for up to a week. If needed, microwave buns for 10-20 seconds to restore freshness.
Notes
Rising time will depend on the ambient temperature and the strength of your sourdough starter. Since this is an enriched dough a very active starter will ensure the best results. It should at least double within 8-12 hours of feeding. If you are using a young starter, or if it has not been fed within 24 hours of using, you may consider adding a pinch of bakers yeast to the dough, or increasing the amount of starter. If your room temperature is below 70° consider proofing in a warm spot, such as the oven with the light on (just leave yourself a note so you don’t accidentally turn on the oven…trust me, it happens).