Generally my cooking leans toward the healthy but I don’ t mind slipping in a tasty treat now and then. Most people call them cinnamon rolls but in my childhood home these delicious goodies were always called sticky buns for their rich, caramely topping. This recipe is interesting in that it adds oatmeal to the dough…interesting in that oatmeal in in there but it does not seem to change the texture much. And when you get to the sticky bun topping I recommend making a little extra.

I had to do some research on how to pair a sticky bun with wine and ultimately decided to try a little bubbly (my fav). My gooey, delicious buns paired with Laetitia XD, a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend with a nice touch of sweetness.

WARNING: In addition to calorie density, these bad boys require loads of waiting time (3 hours just for rising). While it is totally worth the investment, in addition to the Laetitia XD I recommend pairing this recipe with long tedious tasks like laundry.

Sticky Buns

Dough

• 1 1/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
• 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
• 1 c. rolled oats
• 1/2 c. hot water
• 4 c. flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

Filling

• 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp.  mixture cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Sticky Topping

• 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. chopped pecans

Heat milk, shortening, and brown sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat until the shortening is melted. Transfer to mixer bowl and let cool to 100-110 degrees before adding yeast. Let proof 5 minutes. Meanwhile, soak oats in hot water. Add flour, eggs, oats and salt to yeast mixture and mix on low with hook until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix about 7 minutes. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 2 hours. Combine filling ingredients. Coat a 13×9 inch pan with shortening or butter. Boil brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup and salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat 2 minutes. Pour caramel into prepared pan and sprinkle with pecans. Transfer dough to a floured surface, press to remove air, divide into two pieces and roll each into a 10×16 inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 the filling on each half of dough, jelly-roll into a log and cut each log into 6 pieces. Arrange rolls on top of caramel, cover with a towel and let rise 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Bake until browned, 30-35 minutes.