These hot buns are made with with all real and natural ingredients + can be made the night before and baked the next day! Pair with my fave belvedere brunch cocktails.
Makes 12 dozen
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk at room temperature
3 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup plus (or try maple syrup!)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 1/4 cups flour, sifted, plus extra for kneading (g-free works, too!)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 cup of the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in the oven until they’re golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a large plate and set aside to cool.
Whisk the yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water together in a small bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes.
Whisk the almond milk, 3 tablespoons of the honey, and salt together in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of flour and whisk until smooth. Pour in the yeast mixture then stir in the remaining flour. Mixing with a wooden spoon. Once the dough gets too difficult to mix with the spoon, use your hands to gently knead it until it comes together to make a ball.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and continue to knead it until the dough is completely smooth, about 6 minutes. Grease a large, clean bowl with the 1/2 tablespoon of softened butter. Place the dough ball in the bowl, turn over to coat in butter, and cover the bowl with a warm, damp towel (I like to wet a kitchen towel, wring it out, and microwave it for 45 seconds). Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it has doubled, about 40 minutes.
Coat a 10-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it into a 12-inch by 13-inch rectangle about 1/4- inch thick. Mix the toasted almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly with a thin layer of the almond-spice mixture.
Slice the dough into 12 1-inch wide strips. Starting at the end closest to you, roll the strip from bottom to top, forming a tight roll. Place the bun spiral side up in the prepared pan and repeat with the remaining dough strips. Cover with a warm, damp towel and set aside until they’ve increased in size slightly, about 20 minutes.
Finish the tops of the buns with the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar, the remaining 1/4 cup of honey, and remaining 1/2 cup of almonds. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
