3am Cravings

So, I awoke this morning at 3:30 AM to make sticky buns. Well, let me rephrase that, I woke up at 3:30 AM and said to myself, "Mmmmm i want sticky buns". You gotta love pregnancy cravings!

I searched through my many cookbooks and my amazing list of bloggers for a semi-easy vegan recipe (vegan so I can share it with my darling husband when he leisurely wakes up at a normal hour). I found one that is a simple dough recipe with easy to follow instructions, it is 3:30 in the morning after all. I don't think my brain can comprehend any complicated, mathematical equations at this hour.

Anyway, let me share the recipe. Originally this recipe stems from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison but I found it courtesy of a blogger who tweaked the recipe and I of course had to tweak it a little myself. I think the recipe as I found it would be lovely, it's a tangerine infused sticky bun, but i looked at our crate of tangerines and well, to be honest, they were fuzzy and browning. SO, I substituted almond and vanilla extract where appropriate.



The dough:
3/4 c. warm water
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 c. soy milk
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. salt
2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour

Mix together warm water, yeast and maple syrup and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Then add this mixture to a large bowl along with the soy milk, oil and salt. Work in the flours until you have a rough dough, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and resilient. Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, an hour or longer.

For the filling:
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans (i used walnuts because it was all we have)
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbs. margarine, melted

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface again, punch it down and knead for a few seconds. Cover it with a towel and let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare the filling by mixing together the cinnamon, walnuts (pecans), brown sugar and almond extract. Roll the dough out into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle, brush with the melted margarine and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture evenly on top. Tightly roll up across the length then use a serrated knife to cut the roll into pieces about 1 inch wide. Place the pieces flat on a lightly greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and cover with a towel. (If you have any margarine left you can brush some on top.) Now would be a good time to preheat your oven to 375°. After about 30 minutes, remove the towel and place the rolls in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until they're just starting to brown.

The icing:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp of soy milk

Place the buns on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before you drizzle on the icing that you made by whisking together the powdered sugar and extract and the soymilk. I like my icing on the thicker side, so I add a little less milk. You want it thick enough to drizzle but not too clumpy or too runny, so add the milk slowly until you get the texture you desire.


I love making yummy smelling breakfast food. It just warms my heart and makes me think of wonderful times at home with my family.