cook like james

Sticky Buns can often be a challenging and time consuming recipe. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry makes this recipe fast and easy to throw together. I like the combination of dried cranberries and golden raisins, but currants would also work well. The recipe easy doubles to make a full dozen. (Make Ahead: Up to 1 day ahead, prepare the rolls, but don’t bake. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to bake)

Download Easy Christmas Sticky Buns recipe

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar

¼ cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry from 17.3 ounce package, defrosted

For the filling:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cloves

Pinch of salt

¼ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

¼ cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and adjust rack to middle position. Place a 6-cup muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 6 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 6 muffin cups.

3. Distribute the chopped pecans evenly among the 6 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture; set aside.

4. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined, using fingers to break up sugar lumps; set aside.

5. Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle the sheet with brown sugar mixture, and then the cranberries and raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful – the filling is very hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.